Safety at Longwood

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our school’s highest priority is the safety of our students and staff. In order to maintain a safe environment, it is necessary that we practice our emergency and crisis response plans, which include law enforcement lockdown drills. We are required by the Illinois School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128/1) to conduct a minimum of six safety drills per school year to ensure that our staff and students know their role and are prepared to act during a potential crisis. These safety drills, including the required law enforcement lockdown drills, are designed to protect students from danger in and around a school. Lockdowns are intended to secure a school and to keep out a threat. The types of emergencies that could require a school to lockdown include the possible presence of an intruder, dangerous situations taking place in the vicinity of the school, hazardous materials spill or fire, or other type of accident that could pose a threat to the safety of staff and students.

We will be conducting this year’s first law enforcement drill on September 20th and may add additional drills throughout the school year. A few notes about the law enforcement drill:

• Before the drill, teachers will use age-appropriate lessons with their classes and talk the students

through the procedures. This review and practice will help to alleviate unnecessary stress or anxiety.

• On the day of the drill, we will announce reminders prior to the actual drill to ensure that all

students/staff feel prepared. No simulations that mimic an actual active shooter event will occur during the drill, and parents and guardians have the opportunity to exempt their child from participating in the drill.

• During the drill, no one will be permitted in or out of our school. This closure may last for 10-15

minutes.

• The lockdown drill is meant to be practice only, and not stressful or scary in nature. At your request, your student may be exempt from participating in the law enforcement drill.

• Teachers will reflect upon the drill with students after it has been completed.

• Members of the District/School Safety Committee and the DuPage County Sheriffs Police will be observing the drill and debriefing with staff following its conclusion.

When talking with your children at home about safety drill procedures, you don't have to be specific about the types of emergencies that require a lockdown; you can just explain to your child that this is one of the safety drills all schools are required to practice. Indian Prairie School District utilizes standard language throughout the district for situations within the school (Hold in Place and Teach) that require everyone to stay in place until the situation is resolved. For situations occurring outside of the school (Secure the Building and Teach), the school will be secured, and no one will be allowed to enter/exit the building.

When we partner with you to protect our children, these drills become a smooth practice that develops into a habit, supporting fast, efficient procedures in emergency situation. We hope that we will never have to utilize this procedure in a real situation, but it is important for us all to prepare for and practice the process of staying safe at school.

Fire: practice drill with Teacher September 9-13; Practice Drill September 17, Aurora Fire Department supervised drill on October 23

Severe Weather: drill on October 10 and Spring TBD

ALICE: practice drill on September 20; DuPage County Sheriffs Police supervised drill on October 1

Bus Evacuation: drill on October 17

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school office at (630) 428-6789.

Sincerely,

Michael Zeman, Principal, Longwood Elementary School