We are required to hold a fire drill in the first 10 days of school, and a full set of drills within the first month. Fire drills will be repeated monthly, and our other drills are performed twice a year. Once at the beginning of the year, and a second time, right after Winter Break. We understand that for many students, these drills can be scary. When possible, we will let kids know prior to a drill. If it is not possible, we will notify the entire school that it was only a drill afterwards. For fire drills, students will hear an alarm, quietly and quickly line up with their class and head outside to their assigned spot on the field. The students are asked to remain silent during the drill in order to hear directions or announcements. As soon as all kids are accounted for we are able to move back into the building and continue classroom instruction.
Below you will see some information on the different types of drills we will be practicing and the language that’s used in real events. If you have any questions about the drills, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Richard Fisher, and we will do our best to address any concerns. He can be reached at richard_fisher@dpsk12.net.
Safety drills – Swigert, like all DPS schools, is required to make sure that we practice safety drills so that we are prepared for any theoretical emergency. To stay compliant, we have a fire drill once a month. In addition to fire drills we practice 3 other drill at the beginning of the school year, and a 2nd time after Winter break
Shelter in Place – Shelter-in-Place occurs when there is a hazard of a tornado or a severe weather warning and it has been determined by the Department of Safety with the assistance of outside agencies that evacuation or early dismissal could possibly place students in danger.
Lockdown– A lockdown takes place when a hazardous threat or a possible hazardous threat has been identified inside of the building or in close proximity to the school. All exterior and interior doors are locked and students are confined to their school. No entry or exit to the school is allowed during this response. In the event of a lockdown, remember, “Lock, Lights, Out of Sight.”
Secure Perimeter – A secure perimeter takes place when a threat has been identified in the area of your child’s school. All exterior doors are locked to prevent any hazards or threats to enter the school. No entry or exit to the school is allowed during this response.
For more details head here: https://safety.dpsk12.org/o/safety/page/emergency-protocols