School Safety & Emergency Protocols

On this Page: Emergency Protocols | How We Communicate During an Emergency | Reuniting With Your Child

Staff, students, and visitors in Living Sky School Division have the right to learn, work, and attend a safe and secure environment. However, the possibility that a crisis, traumatic event or a severe environmental concern may occur is a reality that cannot be overlooked.

Throughout the year, schools conduct training and drills to help prepare students and staff for possible emergency situations. These drills give students and staff the chance to practice emergency procedures, respond quickly, and feel more confident if a real emergency occurs. All students and staff are required to participate in these drills. See Administrative Procedure 4.17 School Crisis Response for more information (please note the link will open a document in a new tab).

When a school is faced with an emergency, administration will assess the situation and decide on the safest response and emergency protocol to best protect staff and students. 

Emergency Protocols

Living Sky School Division's first priority during an emergency is the safety of its students and staff. There are three main types of emergency protocols that may be activated:

How We Communicate During an Emergency

During an emergency, it may be difficult to reach the school by phone. School phone lines must stay open for emergency response and coordination. 

• Don’t come to the school unless directed. Extra vehicles and people can interfere with emergency response.
• Don’t call the school during an emergency. Phone lines must stay open for emergency coordination.
• Don’t call or text your child unless directed. In some situations it may create additional risk and adds to confusion.

We will make every effort to provide families with updates using the methods below:

Direct school notifications:
Families will be alerted through the school’s regular communication systems including email and voice call or text via SchoolMessenger/Memo and/or Edsby  

Division updates:
Living Sky School Division may also share updates through:

• Website: www.livingskysd.ca
• Social Media:
  • Affected School Facebook Pages; and/or
  • Division Facebook: www.facebook.com/lskysd (this link will open in a new tab)

Local media:
In a major emergency, information may also be shared through local news media and radio stations. 

Reuniting With Your Child

We understand that if an emergency happens, parents/guardians will want to be reunited with their child as quickly as possible. Your instinct may be to come to the school right away. In some emergencies, arriving at the school can interfere with emergency response. Please wait for reunification instructions. Our goal is to make that happen safely, calmly, and as quickly as possible. To ensure every child’s safety and the safety of staff, specific procedures have been established for releasing students. 

Parents are asked to adhere to the parent-child reunification process listed below. Staff will work hard to ensure this process takes place without delay. Please understand the process will still take some time and we ask for your patience when you arrive at the Parent-Child Reunion Area.

Parent-Child Reunification Process:

What parents SHOULD do:

• Wait for Instructions:
  A Parent-Child Reunion Area will be established. Parents will be notified at the time of the emergency of the reunion area’s location. The location may not be at the school. It will depend on the specifics of the emergency. If you are unable to pick up your child, he/she will be kept at the Parent-Child Reunion Center until alternate arrangements can be made. Your child will be supervised at all times.
• Bring Photo ID: Valid identification is required to pick up your child. This is required to protect your child from any unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up students. Even if school personnel know you, you must still present I.D. as the school may be receiving assistance from other schools or outside agencies.
• Make sure your emergency contacts are current:  Students will only be released to an individual designated as legal guardian or emergency contact on the Student Information Update Form. This form is sent out each year by your local school and is available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. It is important to keep this information current as the school will only release a child to someone listed as an Emergency Contact — there will be no exceptions.
• Be prepared to sign your child out:  You will be required to sign for the release of your child. This is extremely important, as it ensures your child, along with other students, is accounted for at all times. Please do not just take your child from the school or evacuation center without signing for his/her release.
• Leave the reunification area once your child has been released to you: Once you have been reunited with your child, please leave the area immediately. This is for your own safety and that of your child.

What parents SHOULD NOT do:

• Do not come to the school unless you are asked to do so.
  Coming to the school during an emergency can interfere with emergency response and make it harder for staff and first responders to do their work safely.
• Do not call the school or your child’s cell phone during an emergency.
  Phone lines need to stay open for emergency communication, and in some situations contacting a student directly could create additional risk.
• Do not take your child without signing them out.
  Students must be released through the reunification process so the school can confirm every child is safe and accounted for.