Types of Drills

Lock-down: Secures school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose the
highest level of threat in or around the school building. Students and staff are instructed to clear hallways,
lock doors and take positions out of sight until law enforcement can arrive. The participation of local law
enforcement agencies in the drills, while not required by state law, is encouraged to help students and staff practice interacting with and being released from lockdown by uniformed officers.

Evacuation: Evacuate students and staff from the building. A fire drill is a type of evacuation drill. Another type is an early dismissal drill, also known as a “go-home-early” drill, in which students are released from school not more than 15 minutes before normal dismissal. An early dismissal drill must be conducted once a year, and parents or guardians must be notified one week in advance. Typically, it does not count toward the eight-per-year requirement.

Shelter-in-place: Shelter students and staff indoors because it is safer inside the building or room than
outside. Depending on the threat or hazard, students and staff may be required to move to rooms that can be sealed (to safeguard against airborne hazards) or without windows (as with a dangerous weather event).

Hold-in-place: Limit movement of students and staff while dealing with short-term emergencies
such as disciplinary issues, medical emergencies or maintenance problems.

Lock-out: Secure school buildings and grounds during incidents outside of the school building that pose
an imminent concern. Classes may continue inside as normal, but no one is allowed to enter or exit the building.

Talking to Kids About School Safety

This information is provided as part of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk School District’s commitment to create safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environments where all members work together to promote academic excellence, civil behaviors, and social competence. All staff, students and parents help create safe schools.

School violence and the resulting intense media coverage bring school safety issues to the forefront for all of us. However, children, in particular, may experience anxiety, fear, and a sense of personal risk. Knowing how to talk with your children about school safety issues could be critical in recognizing and preventing acts of violence, and will play an important role in easing fear and anxieties about their personal safety.

Any conversation with a student must be developmentally appropriate.

Young children need brief simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. They are not able to process the complexities of violence in the same way that adolescents and young adults are prepared to discuss the issue. Young children often gauge how threatening or serious an event is by adult reactions. Listen for misinformation or misconceptions and share facts as developmentally appropriate.  They respond well to basic assurances by adults and simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on
the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day.

Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they are truly safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools.

Upper middle school and high school students may have strong and varying opinions about causes of violence in schools and society. They may share concrete suggestions about how to make the school safer and how to prevent such tragedies. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines (e.g. not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers
on campus, reporting threats to school safety made by students or community members, etc.), communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs.

To guide parents through discussions about school violence, Mental Health America offers the following suggestions:

• Encourage children to talk about their concerns and to express their feelings. Some children may be hesitant to initiate such conversation, so you may want to prompt them by asking if they feel safe at school. When talking with younger children remember to talk on their level. For example, they may not understand the term “violence” but can talk to you about being afraid or a classmate who is mean to them.

• Talk honestly about your own feelings regarding school violence. It is important for children to recognize they are not dealing with their fears alone.

• Validate the child’s feelings. Do not minimize a child’s concerns. Let him/her know that serious school violence is not common, which is why incidents such as Parkland, Florida, attract so much media attention. Stress that schools are safe places. In fact, recent studies have shown that schools are more secure now than ever before.

• Empower children to take action regarding school safety. Encourage them to report specific incidents (such as bullying, threats or talk of suicide) by utilizing school reporting systems; such as the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) reporting system  Students should also utilize our 2nd Step Character Education program practices which develops problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Encourage older children to participate in student-run advocacy.

• Discuss the safety procedures that are in place at your child’s school. Explain why visitors sign in at the principal’s office or certain doors remain locked during the school day. Help your child understand that such precautions are in place to ensure his or her safety and stress the importance of adhering to school rules and policies.

• Create safety plans with your child. Help identify which key adults your child can talk to if they feel threatened at school and remind them they should talk to an adult immediately if a threat occurs. Also, ensure that your child knows how to reach you (or another family member or friend) in case of crisis during the school day.

• Recognize behavior that may indicate your child is concerned about returning to school. Younger children may react to school crisis by not wanting to attend school or participate in school-based activities. Teens and adolescents may minimize their concerns outwardly, but may become argumentative, withdrawn, or allow their school performance to decline.

• Keep the dialogue going and make school safety a common topic in family discussions rather than just a response to an immediate crisis. Open dialogue will encourage children to share their concerns.

• Seek help when necessary. If you are worried about a child’s reaction or have ongoing concerns about his/her behavior or emotions, contact a mental health professional at school or at your community mental health center.

We have encouraged our students to “See Something, Say Something.”  We want everyone in our community to be better informed and aware of the behaviors that a child often demonstrate when they need help:

• Lack of interest or poor performance in school

• Absence of age-appropriate anger control skills

• Seeing self as always the victim

• Persistent disregard for or refusal to follow rules

• Cruelty to pets or other animals

• Artwork or writing that is bleak or violent or that depicts isolation or anger

• Talking constantly about weapons or violence

• Obsession with violent games and/or TV shows

• Lack of enthusiasm, energy or motivation

• Carrying a weapon to school

• Overreacting to criticism

• Restlessness and agitation

• Bullying

• Misplaced or unwarranted jealousy

• Involvement with or interest in gangs

• Withdrawal from friends and activities

The more signs you see the greater the chance the child needs help. If you need assistance, you may call your child’s guidance counselor, the school social worker, or building principal.

Adapted from Mental Health America (MHA), Talking To Kids About School Safety and National Association of School Psychologists (2006). Tips for school administrators for reinforcing school safety. Bethesda, MD: NASP

Online Safety

Online safety tips:

1. Set boundaries with your child’s access and use of social media accounts.

2. Make sure your child knows what to do when they come across inappropriate content.

3. Talk to your child to ensure that they bring an adult into the conversation when they believe something is inappropriate.

4. Create hacker-proof passwords.

5. Keep personal information to yourself, for example, your birthday.

6. Avoid/monitor tags on photos and videos.

7. Change privacy settings to friends only.

8. Do not post upcoming plans or vacations.

9. Do not trust everyone you meet online.

10. Avoid sharing compromising images and/or personal information with anyone.

Social Media Presence

Keep things honest, respectful, and genuine.

THINK before you post:

Is it True?
Is it Hurtful?
Is it Illegal?
Is it Necessary?
Is it Kind?

Would you show your social media accounts to:

• Your parents?

• Your teacher?

• A hiring manager?

• A college recruiter?

• Your boss?

More information at commonsensemedia.org