Emergency Procedures
School Emergency Procedures
As you may already know, Rocky View Schools has a District-wide Emergency Response Plan, which would be implemented in the event of a local disaster or school emergency. The primary objective of the plan is to ensure the safety of your child.
The Emergency Response Plan is a preparatory measure. Statistics show schools are still among the safest places to be on a day-to-day basis, due to the strong commitment of educators, parents, and communities to their children. Nevertheless, disasters do happen and because of that no community can be complacent in its efforts to make its schools even safer. For this reason we have implemented the Plan, so please do not be alarmed by this precautionary action.
Drills
Although it is unlikely that the Emergency Response Plan will need to be fully activated at your child’s school, the possibility still does exist. Therefore, to prepare all members of the school community, including your child, to act on a moments notice, we will be conducting emergency practice drills at the school. These drills, which will occur on a periodic basis throughout the year, will cover a variety of circumstances. In addition to practicing the drills, we will also be discussing with the students the appropriate actions to take during a number of emergencies. These drills and accompanying discussions are designed to prepare your child to act quickly and to minimize your child’s fear should an emergency occur.
Parent‐Child Reunion Centre
The Emergency Response Plan also incorporates a systematic approach to reuniting children with their parents. The plan identifies two possible sites for the Parent-Child Reunion Centre associated with your child’s school. The first site is located on the school grounds. The second site is located at the School Emergency Evacuation Centre – this location is activated only when the school premises must be evacuated. (In some cases it may be necessary to use an alternate location.) Due to the unpredictable nature of any emergency we will only be able to tell you where the Parent-Child Reunion Centre is located at the time of the emergency. Should it be necessary to activate either of these Parent-Child Reunion Centres you will be notified via the School Crisis Communications Network (CNN) of the location.
Reuniting With Your Child
In order for us to ensure your child’s safety, it is necessary for us to establish some protocol related to picking up your child. Therefore, please be advised of the following guidelines when picking your child from a Parent-Child Reunion Centre:
No student will be released unless you or an individual designated on the student's Emergency Information Card arrives to pick up that student. It is critical that you ensure the information on your child’s Emergency Information Card is current.
You will be required to present valid identification.
This step is required to protect your child from any unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up your child. The school may be receiving assistance from other schools or outside agencies and therefore, may not know you.
You will be required to sign for the release of your child.
This is extremely important, as it is our only means of ensuring that all students are accounted for at all times. Please do not just take your child from the centre without signing for their release. We recognize that you may be worried and want to be reunited with your child as quickly as possible. However, this system has been established to ensure your child’s safety. You may be jeopardizing your child’s or another child’s safety by not adhering to these procedures.
Should our normal transportation system be unable to transport your child home, your child will be kept at the centre until such time as you can arrange to pick them up.
If you are unable to pick up your child, he/she will be kept at the Parent-Child Reunion Centre until alternate arrangements can be made. Your child will be supervised at all times.
Finally, we want you to know that your cooperation in preparing your child and helping us to ensure their safety is greatly appreciated. As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding anything stated in this letter, please feel free to contact Mr. Kimura at Bow Valley High School during regular work hours.
Thank you for your assistance on this matter.
