Providing a safe place for students to learn and
grow is one of the most important
responsibilities of any school system. Along
with school officials, teachers and staff,
school families play a critical role in
preventing and responding to school emergencies.
When a crisis occurs, Northville Public Schools
officials follow detailed emergency response
protocols — developed, practiced and refined in
partnership with local police and fire officials
— aimed at keeping students and staff safe
during an emergency situation.
The following is important information for
families with students in the school district’s
preschool, elementary, middle and high school
programs.
The Role of Parents in Keeping Schools Safe
Parents and community members play an important
role in keeping our schools safe. You can be our
eyes and ears by reporting any issues, concerns
or rumors related to safety to school or law
enforcement officials.
You also can help by following all security
measures when you visit one of our school
buildings. This includes signing in at the
school office and wearing a visitor’s badge at
all times while in the building.
West Oakland-Wayne (WOW) Safe Schools Consortium
Northville Public Schools is part of a six
school district consortium awarded a $569,000
grant from the U.S. Department of Education in
September 2007 to help enhance and fortify
readiness and emergency response management
plans in their schools. Other participating
school districts include South Lyon, West
Bloomfield, Huron Valley, Plymouth Canton and
Walled Lake.
To date, all of the components of the WOW Safe
Schools Consortium grant are in place in
Northville Public Schools.
School Emergency Response Protocols
A school crisis can take a number of forms
including an environmental event, such as a
chemical spill or gas leak; a weather emergency,
such as a tornado warning; or an intruder in or
near the school. The nature of a school crisis
dictates whether school officials will put in
place a lockdown, shelter-in-place, evacuation,
or any combination of two of these protocols, as
a means to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
students and staff.
The Role of Parents in an Emergency
In a school emergency, the first instinct as a
parent is to pick up the telephone and start
calling the school or to rush up to the school
and get your children. The truth is, this only
complicates matters from a safety and security
standpoint. Parents too close to an incident
often hinder the rescue attempts of the police
and fire officials on the scene.
The best action parents can take in an emergency
is to stay close to their phone and e-mail and
to monitor local radio and TV reports for
regular updates and instructions.
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