Whitehall-Coplay Safety And Security Information

General Parent Information:

• Communication, Cooperation, and Understanding are crucial in any emergency situation. We know and respect that your children are precious and we will do all we can to provide the safest learning environment at all times.
• If an emergency situation arises on campus, the school district will…
• Share information through media access and/or the district’s school messenger system.
• Update information through media access and/or the district’s school messenger system periodically, even if there is nothing new to report but to confirm current status.
• Follow processes and procedures that will provide safety to students and staff.
• Keep students informed, as appropriate per grade level, so they are aware of the situation.
• If releasing students, set a designated area for you to report for student pick up.
• Only sign students out with a parent/guardian or those people specifically listed as emergency contacts within your child’s student records in Powerschool.
• Provide directions to off-site locations if evacuated off school grounds.
• Provide an appropriate environment and supervision if under a long term /shelter in-place situation.
• We ask parents/guardians/emergency contact persons to:
• Provide emergency contact numbers and ensure that they are on file within your child’s records in Powerschool.
• The WCSD encourages you to speak with your child often about safety and preparedness. We thank you for your attention and cooperation as we strive to provide the safest learning environment for your child.
• Talk to your child and have a plan in place if needed in case of an emergency during school hours.
• If your plan includes giving permission for your child to be picked up by a person other than yourself, this person’s contact information MUST be on file within your child’s records in Powerschool.
• Have personal identification to verify who you are when requested.
• Parent Reminders:
• Do not panic.
• Refrain from calling your child; depending on the circumstances you may be placing them in danger of being detected by a ringing phone.
• Reinforce with your children that during an emergency situation, it is important to follow the directions of the staff and make informed decisions.
• Please - Wait for communication from the school to you about the situation. Do not call 911, the school, or attempt to go to the school campus.

• Emergency Situations:
• The WCSD is committed to school safety. Unfortunately, our schools and others throughout the country may be affected either directly or indirectly by a crisis of some kind at any time. Therefore, it is our goal to be prepared to handle unforeseen circumstances.
• In an effort to keep our students safe, we run drills regularly throughout the school year. Emergency drills are based on the Run, Hide, Fight protocol. 
• Run, Hide, Fight is an options-based approach for responding to potentially dangerous situations. The trainings and drills aim to empower students and staff to make critical decisions using building infrastructure and human action to enhance safety and survivability.