Should an emergency or disaster situation arise while school is in session, District 87 schools have made preparations to respond effectively to such situations and to care for all students.

The District has a detailed emergency operations plan which has been developed with the assistance of our police and fire departments to respond to a variety of issues including a major catastrophe.  During an emergency crisis, the District will do everything it can to protect your child and to communicate with all parents as quickly as possible.

In a crisis, a parent’s first instinct is often to call the school or come to the school to get their child. This is not in the best interests of you or your child.  Our focus will be on the immediate safety needs of students and staff and District staff will not be able to work with individual parent calls and concerns.

Parent /Guardian Instructions During an Emergency

To assist us deal with an emergency crisis as efficiently and effectively as possible, please read and cooperate with the following instructions carefully:

1. Please do not telephone the school and tie up lines needed for emergency communication.

2. Please do not come to the school during the emergency or crisis.

3. During an emergency, we must know where every student is at all times and students will be kept at their school until the emergency passes and it is safe.  Once it is safe, students will be dismissed using the normal transportation and dismissal procedures or parents and guardians will be allowed to pick them up.  Students will be released only to their parents or guardians.

4. Go to the District web site www.district87.org and click on the emergency information link for information and directions.

5. The District will notify the media of the situation and use them to pass on parent information and instructions.  Please listen to WJBC (1230 AM) for details. 

6. The District may use an automated phone system to call all parents with information.  To insure that you receive such a telephone call, please make sure that the school has your current phone number on record.

7. Please discuss these matters with your student and immediate family.  Plan ahead to understand what you should do during an emergency.  Impress upon your student the need for them to remain at school and to follow the directions of school personnel in times of an emergency crisis.

Transportation

The decision to cancel school, change the time school starts or ends, or keep students at school will be based upon the nature of the emergency crisis including the time of day, the weather, and the ability to transport students.

If an event takes place while students are being transported which limits further transportation (for example, emergency siren goes off or roads are closed), students already on the bus will remain under the supervision of the driver and school staff.  The driver will communicate through the radio with bus company, school and district personnel.  Bus drivers will make every attempt to deliver students to their bus stops safely but may have to take students to the nearest school to be housed safely. On the way to school, any child not yet on the bus remains the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

Hazardous Release (chemical spill) Near the School

• Shelter-in-Place procedures will be implemented.
• All students and staff will move inside and report to their rooms.
• Efforts will be made to prevent outside air from entering classrooms.
• Students arriving at school during the event report to the school office or a designated area because classrooms will be inaccessible.
  

Lockdown

• No one will be allowed in or out of the school site.
• Students and staff will be held in a secure area.
• The police will have control of the school site and will control all access.
• When the incident is over, an “All Clear” signal will be given.