This week we sent an email to all families letting them know about our new Lockdown drill strategies. We wanted to let you know about some new changes being incorporated into our safety drills this school year.
To maintain our safety standards and adapt to the societal threat of a violent intruder inside our schools, our District has incorporated ALICE proactive safety strategies into our Lockdown drills this year. ALICE is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate.
As schools begin to initiate the required Lockdown drills this fall, they will be incorporating more conversation into the drills that are aligned with ALICE safety protocols and are age-appropriate.
Examples of how ALICE safety discussions will be incorporated into the first Lockdown drill by grade level are listed below.
Elementary Students (Grades Preschool-5)
- A Lockdown Drill will be initiated and students and staff will move into locked spaces.
- Teachers will read the book, “I’m Not Scared… I’m Prepared! Because I Know All About ALICE”. This book, written by Julia Cook, is a children’s story that allows teachers to discuss safety measures in the classroom in an understandable, age-appropriate, and non-fearful manner. The book provides teachers with strategies to incorporate into a discussion with students that will help prepare them for an appropriate response in the event of a safety incident.
Middle & High School Students
- Students will be provided with a short presentation that will discuss the details of the ALICE strategies (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate).
- A Lockdown Drill will be initiated and students and staff will move into locked spaces.
- A discussion will commence regarding the implementation of the new ALICE strategies.
As in previous years, parents/guardians will have the option to decide if their child is to participate in a Lockdown Drill. As lockdown drills are scheduled, you will receive a separate notice that provides you with your rights as it pertains to your child’s participation in the drill.
For the full email with more details on the drill procedures, please visit our website.
