In the Delta School District we take emergency preparedness very seriously.  All of our schools conduct emergency drills throughout the school year.  Some of these drills may be full emergency release drills, meaning that parents are involved in the drill because we are practicing how students will be safely released to their parents or emergency release contacts in the event of a disaster.  It is important that when a school has a full release drill, that parents and emergency release contacts take part.  Our school community needs to be ready in case disaster strikes.

***It is important that all parents understand that all students, whether in kindergarten or grade 12, will only be dismissed from school in emergency situations to their parents or designated emergency release adult.  Students cannot be released to an older sibling who is still under the age of 19.  Students will not be allowed to leave school property until a pre-designated adult retrieves them.  In order to maintain the safety of your children, there can be no exceptions.  This means that, if grandparents routinely pick up students, they must be named as EMERGENCY RELEASE CONTACTS on the student information form.

It is important for parents to regularly plan for who will be able to pick-up their child from school in an emergency situation, and that the information needs to be reviewed and updated annually.  If both parents do not work close to the school, then they should designate another trusted adult who will, most likely, be in the area if disaster strikes during school hours.  Again, this person cannot be an older sibling who is under the age of 19.  Parents need to inform the school via Parent Connect of who their Emergency Release designated adult is and they need to review this information annually and update it if necessary.  **Please note that the “emergency release contact” line is separate from the “emergency contact” line.

 This year, we will be conducting our emergency release procedure on:

When:                      2:15 pm, Thursday, October 17^th, 2019

Who:                        Parents/Guardians/Designated Emergency Release Contacts

Procedure:            ***Please ensure that the adult arriving to pickup the student has picture ID with them.

• Students will be lined up in division order on the turf field between Gray and Sands;
• Adults cannot enter the field enclosure until all students are accounted for and the signal is given by the principal or designate;
• It is important to know the grade, division number, and teacher’s name.
• Designated adults will show their ID to the teacher and sign for the student before taking them;
• Released students must be taken home for the remainder of the afternoon. Please do not stay to play on the playgrounds

 We would like to have as many adults as possible involved in order to refine our processes and be ready in case of an actual serious emergency that would require students to be released.  However, as this is not an early dismissal day, if you are unable to arrange pick up for your child as part of this drill, all remaining students will return to their classes and will be dismissed at 3:00 pm as usual.