Crisis Information and Reunification Procedures

6/13/2018

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As mentioned in our June newsletter, we will conduct a Reunification Drill this Wednesday (6/13 at 1:40 pm). The purpose of this drill is to conduct a formalized and controlled student pick-up. This drill may be initiated in the event of extreme weather, a power outage, hazmat or if a crisis occurs at the school. Our official relocation site is kept confidential unless we are actually relocating. If this is ever the case, you will receive multiple alerts to explain the crisis and relocation site (K12 Alert system -text -phone call, email, etc).

The purpose of our drill this Wednesday is to assess our communication and reunification procedures. The drill will not effect dismissal time - we will dismiss at 2 pm. The only students who will experience a varied departure will be those students who are picked up by parents/guardians. For those parents/guardians picking up students, you will be asked to form a single-car line alongside the building. The loop directly out front of the building will be closed-off. We will operate two main reunification areas (check-in table and reunification table) where the following procedures will be implemented:

  1. As you arrive you will be greeted and handed a reunification information form to be filled out. You are welcome to fill-out prior to the drill and bring with you: PDF icon Student Reunification Form.pdf

  2. Once the form is completed, you will be asked to pull your car forward and stop at the check-in table. Once there, you will submit the reunification information form and a photo identification card. Indicated by first red star (labelled “1”). School personnel will confirm student name and check parent/guardian ID. Once confirmed, parent/guardian will be handed back ID and asked to proceed toward our reunification table.

  3. Student reunification information form will be handed to a runner who will retrieve the student and meet parent at reunification table with student.

  4. Reunification information form and student will be checked-in at reunification table. Indicated by second red star (labeled “2”).

  5. School personnel will reunify student/s with parent/guardian.

 

We appreciate your assistance and patience as we conduct this drill.

 

Respectfully,

 

Andrew Berrios, Ed.D.

 

 

 

Western Massachusetts School Safety Task Force

In the unlikely event of an emergency at your child's school, we strongly request that you not respond to the school unless instructed to do so.  Well intentioned community members responding directly to the school during an emergency have significantly hampered the efforts of emergency personnel in other jurisdictions. Should there ever be an emergency incident at your child's school we will, in all likelihood, not be able to re-unify you with your child at the school. We will instead conduct that reunification at a safe off-site location.

We will advise you of the exact location of the reunification site via local media as well as through automated calls (texts/e-mails). Those automated calls will go to the most up-to-date contact telephone numbers and e-mail addresses we have for you. As such, it is imperative that you keep your contact information up-to-date with us so that we have the best means by which to reach you. We also ask that you make every effort to keep us informed as to any changes regarding the custody of your child, to include any probate or restraining orders impacting your child, as well as any changes regarding who you have authorized to pick up your child.   

Thank you in advance for your assistance.