Woodburn Safety Procedures
What is a Lockdown?
There are two types of lockdowns. An external threat lockdown is a cautious procedure where movement inside the classroom is allowed, all doors are locked and students are not allowed outside. An internal threat lockdown is the most serious where all students are brought into secured areas, lights are turned off, students are expected to be quiet, and staff keep students away from windows.
Frequently asked Questions and Answers about School Lock Downs:
Q: How will parents know the school is in lockdown?
A: At the school main door a sign will be displayed to let people who come to the door know that the doors will remain locked/closed and they will not be allowed to enter until the lock down is lifted.
The district office will use the school voicemail and email system to update parents about events that happen during the school day. Parents will be given instructions to monitor the school district emergency link on the district website where up-to-date information about an incident will be posted throughout a crisis situation. The school district does not always know details about what is happening with a specific community-related problem, but we can give updates as to the safety status of the students in the school.
Q: What happens to student recess time during a lockdown?
A: If students are on the playground during a lockdown we bring them immediately into the school building and lock all outside doors. Adults sweep the playground to make sure all students are safely secured inside the building. Attendance is taken to make sure all students are accounted for.
If it is an external threat lockdown and students are allowed to move within the building, while it is not a formal recess, students are given a chance to take a break, get a drink of water, and go to the rest room.
Q: What if my student is on the school bus on the way to school?
A: Any student on a school bus at the time of a school lockdown will be brought to the district office to a safe, supervised area until the school lockdown is lifted.
Parents will be notified if their child was brought to the district office or an alternative school location if the district office is involved in the lockdown.
Q: How much does the school tell the students during a lockdown?
A: Our goal is to support the students and help them to feel safe. We train them to follow their teacher’s directions during these events. We give them limited details, but do share accurate information that assures them things are okay.
Q: What would the school do if a lockdown went past the end of the school day?
A: Our School would remain in lockdown until it is determined safe to release. If this happened at the end of the school day, we would keep the students in the school and not allow parents or others into the building until the lockdown was lifted.
Parents will be notified through the email/voicemail system that their child is in lockdown within the school past the regular school day. We would review and communicate the plan for parent/student reunification for each child. It could take some time to ensure each child has an exit plan either on the bus, or with parent pick up.
Should a school emergency require a large parent/student reunification plan on the school campus, we would set up the cafeteria and/or gym as a staging area to help coordinate with parents coming to school to pick up their children in person. Signs will direct parents to the waiting area for reunification in a large scale parent pick up situation. In this situation, access to students will be controlled by the school to keep the scene organized and safe for all involved. We will require the patience of everyone through this process to make sure every child is exiting with a safe, known adult.
For these kinds of reasons, it is imperative that families provide the school district with accurate phone numbers and email addresses. Also, Woodburn collects an emergency school closure form for each child should they need to come home early due to a situation that requires school to close early. Please work with the Woodburn office to make sure an up-to-date emergency form is on file each year.
Parents are welcome to call the school with questions about our procedures at any time. We want to communicate openly with our families and work together to ensure student safety in all situations.
Brian Graham, Principal
T: (360)833-5860, ext 78221