Lockdown Drill Tomorrow

Dear Parent,

Battle River School Division has an emphasis on safe and caring schools. Part of providing a safe learning environment is helping students and staff be prepared for an emergency.

Our school holds six fire drills each year and we will also be holding two lockdown drills – one in October and another in the spring.

A lockdown is when all the students and staff are tucked into their classrooms (or another safe, lockable area of the school) to avoid an intruder inside the building. This is not a situation we expect our schools to encounter but, just like a fire drill, practicing will help us all be better prepared if such an incident does occur.

When we hold our lockdown drill, discussions will also take place with students in a calm, sensitive, age-appropriate way, so as not to generate anxiety or fear. If you’d like to speak to your children ahead of time, to provide additional reassurance that they are safe at school and drills are what we do so we are prepared ‘just in case’, we would welcome your support.

During a lockdown drill, the outside doors of the school will also be locked. If you should arrive at the school during the brief time our drill is taking place (tomorrow, Monday October 28 at 8:45AM) you will see a sign letting you know why you can’t get in.

It is possible we will have police officers present for the drill, as well as representatives of the school division. Their role is to help us evaluate our preparedness and suggest any changes we might make in future drills.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact me at eeaston@brsd.ab.ca.

Sincerely,

Erica Easton

Todd Sieben