South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) is committed to the safety of every student, staff member and person who enters our buildings. From the time they arrive in the morning to the time they leave in the afternoon, the wellbeing of our students and staff remains our top priority. District and school leaders continue to partner with local law enforcement and other agencies to plan, prepare, and implement a safe and supportive learning environment. This summer, SSPPS teamed up with the “I Love You Guys” Foundation and SSP Police to implement the Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP) system. A key part of this SRP is for all staff, students, and families to have the same knowledge of protocols in case of an emergency. Staff have been and students will be trained on the SRP system and have discussed what each of their roles are in the various situations. All families should take a moment to look over the Safety & Security webpage to learn more about the Standard Response Protocols at SSPPS.
Emergency Drills
Each school is required, per MN Statute, to perform five 5 lockdown drills, 5 fire drills, and 1 severe weather drill each school year. One lockdown and one fire drill must each be completed within the first 10 days of school and 4 fire drills and 4 lockdown drills need to be completed before November 1.
The primary objective of a drill is for participants to build muscle memory and practice an action to use in various events or situations. A secondary objective is for school staff to validate procedures, clarify roles and identify operational process gaps.
Drills are for staff and students and are educational opportunities to practice life safety skills. For example, an evacuation drill is conducted at schools worldwide regularly. A fire alarm goes off, students line up and head outside. There is no trauma in these events because there is no simulation of a threat or hazard. Schools do not light fires in the hallways to simulate an evacuation due to fire.
Lockdown drills are similar. There is no simulated violence needed to conduct them. The only information needed is for the protocol to be enacted, “Lockdown, locks, lights, out of sight,” and then students and staff perform those specific functions. Prior to a drill being conducted, an announcement will be made notifying students and staff that a drill is going to happen. Teachers will then provide a space for discussion both before and after each drill.
Listed below are the emergency drill dates for the 2023-24 school year. These dates are subject to change pending weather or other circumstances. If a scheduled lockdown drill changes, families will be notified of the new date. Families wanting their children to be exempt from the lockdown drills should contact the school office.
Fire Drills:
9/28/23 at 8:00 AM
10/16/23 at 1:40 PM
10/26/23 at 8:00 AM
Lockdown Drills:
9/29/23 at 9:00 AM
10/17/23 at 11:40 AM
10/27/23 at 1:40 PM
10/30/23 at 7:55 AM
