The District will use three types of Lockdown Procedures. They will be called Level I, II and III, with Level I being the least restrictive and Level III being the most restrictive.
The keys to Lockdowns are VTN (Visibility, Travel and Noise).
If we were to have a Lockdown, we would attempt to provide notification to parents via AUTOMATED PHONE CALLING SERVICE and WEB POSTING (www.cascadeschools.org) that a lockdown level I, II or III is in place. A message similar to the following would be used.
Message to be read if we have a LEVEL I or II Lockdown
"This message is to notify you that on (DATE) at (TIME). The Cascade School District was placed in a state of LOCKDOWN LEVEL (____). The reason for this lockdown is ______________________. During a Level (___), (read the description for a level I or II lockdown below). We ask that you do not call the school or anyones cell phone that is at school at this time. Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. The District will notify you in this same manner once the LOCKDOWN threat is contained and if necessary provide directions as to how and where to pick up your child. Cascade Police Department requests that for the safety of the students and employees of the Cascade School District #422 that parents refrain from coming to the school or the surrounding area during this time."
Message to be programmed in the automated phone calling service and sent out if this is a Level III Lockdown
"Cascade School District is currently in a level 3 lockdown. A serious safety threat exists at school. Please do not call the school or the cell phone of anyone who is at the school. Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. The school district will notify you in this same manner once the lockdown threat is contained and if necessary provide directions as to how and where to pick up your child. For the safety of Cascade School District students and employees, Cascade Police Department requests that parents do not come to the school or the surrounding area. To repeat: a serious safety threat exists at school, do not call nor come to the school. You will receive further notification as soon as possible. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated."
LEVEL I - All exterior doors are locked. No entry into or exit from the school is allowed. Movement within the building is as normal. Classes carry on as usual until the threat that caused the lockdown is contained. All classes being conducted outside are brought into the building.
Example of an event that may cause a LEVEL I lockdown: Gas leak, police are pursuing a bank robber.
LEVEL II - All exterior and interior doors are locked, blinds are pulled, movement within the school is allowed only by announcement from the administration. No entry into or exit from the building is allowed. Students are to return to their room immediately. Students who are outside for PE, recess, etc are to move indoors and to a classroom immediately. Activity in classroom continues as usual.
Example of an event that may cause a LEVEL II lockdown: Nearby explosion, local catastrophe.
LEVEL III - All exterior doors are locked. Students seek immediate safety in a classroom or wherever they can. All interior doors are locked. Blinds are pulled. Lights turned out. Teachers and students spread out in class rooms out of the line of sight from any windows. Remain quiet at all times. No entry into or exit from the building is allowed. No movement within the building is allowed. A Green, Yellow or Red card is posted in the door window or slid under the door. A Green Card indicates all students are accounted for and the room is secure, a Yellow Card indicates that the room is secure and the students in that room are safe but not all students who are supposed to be in that room are in the room, a Red Card indicates assistance is needed in the room. If possible the teacher should write the names of students who are not in the room but should be on the Yellow Card. Personnel who are outside the building should seek safety at the nearest reasonable place and attempt to notify the administration of their whereabouts, attendance and contact number if other than their cell phone.
Teachers with cell phones should turn them to vibrate and keep them handy as a possible way to be contacted by the administration or emergency personnel. Students shall be instructed to turn their cell phones to vibrate and be instructed by the teacher to quietly, calmly, and orderly contact their parent and guardian to inform them that they are safe. If seeking safety in a spot not manned by a staff member, the person should turn their phone to vibrate. Caution should be used when using the cell phone in a Level III lockdown so not to alert an active shooter to your location by speaking loudly or having your phone ring.
Example of an event that may cause a LEVEL III lockdown: Active shooter.
Staff members should review with their classes two (2) routes for evacuation. One being the main evacuation route with a 2nd route being an alternate route in the event the main evacuation exit is blocked. To assure all have vacated the building, teachers should take their Red, Yellow and Green cards out with them. Holding up a Green card indicates all students are accounted for, a Yellow Card indicates a student(s) is missing, while the Red Card would indicate emergency assistance is needed. Due to the length of time it takes administrators to check the building and then get outside, it is strongly recommended that if a teacher has a cell phone they take it with them and if a student is missing you call the administration immediately.
Please program these numbers into your cell phone today.
After the threat causing a LEVEL III lockdown is contained, a parent-student unification plan will be go into effect. (Certain events requiring a Level II Lockdown may necessitate the activation of the parent unification plan also.) Parents are reminded that activation of the parent-unification plan will be done via automated phone calling and announced on our webpage (www.cascadeschools.org).
Plan A If the school is available, students will remain in their class rooms and parents will come to that class room and sign out their child. Teachers will only release the child to the parent.
Elementary students will report to their respective class room.
Class advisors for each class are to report to the above classrooms also.
Plan B If the school is no longer available, bus will transport students with their teachers to the Trinity Pines Camp 349 Cabarton Road.
If a parent unification plan is activated, all students will remain at the school or the staging area (Trinity Pines) until a parent has come to release them.
If needed, the school will contact available counseling personnel to assist at the pick-up site until parents arrive to take their child.