Clear and Sanitized Area: An assembly space, such as the gymnasium, that is used to shelter students, faculty and staff after it has been thoroughly searched by school volunteers and law enforcement for suspicious packages and objects.

Emergency Response Team: Designation of an emergency response team comprised of school personnel, local law enforcement officials and representatives from local, regional and/or state emergency response agencies, other appropriate incident response teams and a post-incident response team that includes appropriate school personnel, medical personnel, mental health counselors and others who can assist the school community in coping with the aftermath of a violent incident.

Incident Command System: The Incident Command System, also known as ICS, is defined as a standardized on-scene emergency management system that allows multi-agencies to work together without any jurisdictional boundary problems. ICS defines the chain of command as a series of management positions in order of authority. Individuals in the chain of command are from different agencies and positions.

Lockdown: A procedure used when there is an immediate and imminent threat to the school building population. School staff and students are secured in the rooms they are currently in and no one is allowed to leave until the situation has been curtailed. This allows the school to secure the students and staff in place and remove any innocent bystanders from immediate danger. Most commonly used when building has an intruder.

Lockout: Allows no unauthorized personnel into the building. All exterior doors are locked and main entrance is monitored by administrators, security or school resource officer. This procedure allows the school to continue with the normal school day, but curtails outside activity. Most commonly used when incident is occurring outside school building, on or off school property.

School Safety Plan: All emergency response plans developed by building-level school safety teams must include the following elements: policies and procedures for the safe evacuation of students, teachers, other school personnel as well as visitors to the school in the event of a serious violent incident or other emergency, which shall include evacuation routes and shelter sites and procedures for addressing medical needs, transportation and emergency notification to persons in parental relation to a student.

School Safety Team: Team appointed by principal in accordance with guidelines established by the board of education, chancellor or other governing body; responsible for developing the school building safety plan. Teams shall include but not be limited to representatives of teacher, administrator and parent organizations, school safety personnel and other school personnel, community members, local law enforcement officials, local ambulance or other emergency response agencies, and any other representatives the board of education, chancellor or other governing body deems appropriate.

Short-Term Shelter in Place: A procedure whereby the entire school population is moved to a single (or multiple) location(s) in the school (depending on building population) that has been clear and sanitized. Most commonly used during bomb threats and weather emergencies.

(See page 14 for Short-Term Shelter in Place instructions and procedures.)

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School Safety Plan Review

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