Principal/Vice-Principal: Hilary Braid-Skolski/Karian Brigidear Contact Phone Number: 250-479-8256
Police Department: Saanich Police Liaison Officer
Alternative Evacuation Site Location: Spectrum High School
Protocols could not possibly be outlined for every emergency. The professional judgment of the administrator will always be significant in determining actions. The following is a quick reference for some of the processes to deal with emergencies.
Please refer to the following for updated information during an emergency within our district or specific schools: www.sd61.bc.ca, CFAX, 107.3, 100.3, CBC Radio, 100.3 The Q, The Ocean 98.5, Times Colonist, Black Press, CTV, CHEK News.
Facebook, Twitter and Instragram: Updates are also posted on the Greater Victoria School District Facebook account, Twitter account @sd61schools, and @MarigoldMarmots
EMERGENCY DRILLS AND SUPPORT INFORMATION
CIRT
The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) supports schools and families in dealing with critical incidents by providing expertise, resources, and additional counselling. In addition, the team will develop an action plan in response to a critical incident and may invite the district CIRT to provide further support.
EARTHQUAKE
In an earthquake, staff will instruct students to drop and cover. Drop and cover follows this process: drop to the ground, take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it until the shaking stops; evacuation of the building will follow. Students and staff will practice earthquake drills a minimum of twice per year at each grade level.
FIRE
In the event of a fire within a school, the fire alarm will sound by the person discovering the fire or the detectors. Students will be evacuated from the building using the nearest safe exit. They will assemble at a predetermined location where The school staff will take attendance, and the names of missing students and their possible location are reported to the Principal. Fire drills are practiced regularly, once per month at elementary and every two months at middle and secondary.
HOLD and SECURE
“Hold and Secure” is a school safety procedure designed to maximize the safety of staff and students when circumstances in the school area pose a potential for danger (i.e. chemical spill, downed power lines, cougar sighting). The Principal/Vice-Principal will allow the school’s interior to function as normally as possible during a hold and secure hold. However, the Principal/Vice-Principal will control access to and from the school until the danger has been remedied. After any Hold and Secure, communication will go out to parents/guardians, briefly outlining the situation and how the school handled it.
LOCKDOWN
A “Lockdown” is a school safety procedure designed to maximize the safety of staff and students in circumstances where there is a potential for violence in the school or surrounding area. During a lockdown, staff and students will secure themselves in their immediate vicinity, lock and secure all interior doors when possible, turn off lights, and remain out of sight in lockdown until released by police. After any lockdown, communication will go out to parents/guardians, briefly outlining the situation and how the school handled it. This will ensure that accurate information goes home and that parents/guardians can support their children if they have questions or concerns.
CLASSROOM EVACUATION
It may be necessary for students to evacuate a classroom in response to a safety concern from time to time. School staff will direct students to leave the classroom quickly and quietly out a specific doorway. Students will either line up in the hallway or proceed to an alternate location in the school, such as the Library. Classrooms will contact the office for additional support in all cases.
VTRA
Fair Notice for our Parent Community: The Greater Victoria School District is committed to creating and maintaining school environments where students, staff, parents/guardians/caregivers, and others feel safe. From time to time, it may be necessary to complete a Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) in response to threatening behaviour toward students or staff by students, parents, or others. To ensure and promote students’ emotional and physical safety, staff, parents/guardians/caregivers, and others, threats must be taken seriously, investigated, and responded to. The VTRA will allow the school to plan the interventions necessary to prevent traumatic events in schools and ensure all safety.
The school district is subject to personal information privacy laws. It will undertake the collection of information during a VTRA in compliance with the requirements of such laws, including by limiting collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk of threat and by ensuring that information is collected from publicly available open-source social media sites. The school district will not collect information as part of a threat assessment unless there is reason to believe that a risk exists. School and district staff may provide information collected as part of a threat assessment to law enforcement authorities in appropriate circumstances.
PARENT INFORMATION
In the event of an emergency or critical incident, please wait for information from the school district before coming to the school to pick up your child. Families can find information at: www.sd61.bc.ca, CFAX, 107.3, 100.3 The Q, The Ocean 98.5, Times Colonist, Black Press, CTV, CHEK News
Facebook ,Twitter and Instragram: Updates are also posted on the Greater Victoria School District Facebook account ,Twitter account @sd61schools and @MarigoldMarmots
***Students will only be released to the parent/guardians or individual(s) listed as an emergency designate. Please ensure the school has updated information for your child