Today, we continue our focus on school safety. In an emergency, knowing what a response means can help students, staff, and families understand what is happening and what to expect.
The Standard Response Protocol uses five simple, consistent responses:
📍 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃
Students and staff remain in their classrooms or current locations and continue normal activities.
“In Your Classroom or Area”
Students are trained to:
● Clear the hallways and remain in their area or room until the “All Clear” is announced
● Do business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
● Close and lock the door
● Account for students and adults
● Do business as usual
📍 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄
Students and staff remain inside the building while the exterior of the building is secured.
“Get Inside. Lock outside doors”
Students are trained to:
● Return to the inside of the building
● Do business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
● Bring everyone indoors
● Lock the outside doors
● Increase situational awareness
● Account for students and adults
● Do business as usual
📍 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍
Students and staff take immediate action to secure themselves and their location from a threat inside the building.
“Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”
Students are trained to:
● Move away from sight
● Maintain silence
● Do not open the door
Adults and staff are trained to:
● Recover students from the hallway if possible
● Lock the classroom door
● Turn out the lights
● Move away from sight
● Maintain silence
● Do not open the door
● Prepare to evade or defend
📍 𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄
Students and staff move from one location to another, typically to a designated safe location.
“To a Location”
Students are trained to:
● Leave stuff behind if required to
● If possible, bring their phone
● Follow instructions
Adults and staff are trained to:
● Bring roll sheet and Go Bag (unless instructed not to bring anything with them, dependent on reason for evacuation.)
● Lead students to Evacuation location
● Account for students and adults
● Report injuries or problems using the Red Card/Green Card method.
📍 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑
Students and staff take specific protective actions based on the identified hazard or threat.
“State Hazard and Safety Strategy”
Hazards might include:
● Tornado
● Hazmat
● Earthquake
● Tsunami
Safety Strategies might include:
● Evacuate to shelter area
● Seal the room
● Drop, cover, and hold
● Get to high ground
Students are trained in:
● Appropriate Hazards and Safety Strategies
Adults and staff are trained in:
● Appropriate Hazards and Safety Strategies
● Accounting for students and adults
● Reporting injuries or problems using the Red Card/Green Card method.
The goal is simple: one shared language, clear expectations, and a consistent response.
