City Schools of Decatur will:

• Instruct our students in emergency preparedness and in-school emergency procedures designed to maximize student safety.

• Prepare our personnel to respond to an emergency according to our standard procedures designed to prevent injuries, provide care for those who need it, and support students.

• Communicate with parents about emergency preparedness procedures in advance and during an emergency so parents will be prepared and well informed in an emergency. 

What you can expect schools to do:

• The first priority of every staff member will be to immediately account for and attend to the needs of each student.
• Because we know that the safest place for your children in an emergency during the school day is on the school campus, children will be kept in the safest location on the school grounds until they can be reunited with their families.
• The school will use the Blackboard Communication platform to email, robocall, or text parents’ emergency contact numbers or emails with the latest emergency updates as well as student pick-up information. 
• Once the emergency situation has been stabilized and staff are in place, the district will notify parents and the school will allow parents on campus to reunite with their child. They will not allow any child to be removed from school grounds unless signed out by an individual authorized in the child’s Parent Portal information. Please do not arrive at your child’s school before the district has notified you that the emergency has been stabilized. You will not be permitted to pick up your child until the school and/or district has communicated dismissal procedures have begun.
• The evacuation of students from the school campus will be considered only when authorities have determined that the occupation of the school campus is unreasonable due to unsafe conditions or threats.
• Staff members and district officials work cooperatively with Law Enforcement, Fire Safety, City of Decatur officials, and other outside agencies to ensure collaboration in providing effective emergency services for the school and the community.
• Your children will be instructed in emergency procedures and will have regularly scheduled opportunities to practice, such as building evacuation and campus lock-down drills.