Student Safety and Security
Safe and Orderly Environment
Goals
The Tooele County School District will facilitate training for staff and students on current safety procedures and protocols.
Impact
Standard safety and security procedures will benefit stakeholders in the event of an emergency giving reassurance that the Tooele County School District is providing a safe learning environment for all students.
Actions/Deliverables
- Monthly drills that establish common/consistent routines and procedures
- Routine evaluations of each property for safety concerns to provide up-to-date safety practices
- On-going training for district leadership to create a clear understanding of expectations
- Implement and train School Safety Specialists in all schools.
Check out these episodes of Elevated Insights to learn more about school safety:
- Emergency Closure Guidelines
- Emergency Drill Schedule
- Great Utah Shakeout
- Safe Schools Training for Staff
- Safe UT
- Safe Walking Routes
- School Resource Officers
- Standard Response Protocol
- Title IX
Emergency Closure Guidelines
The District believes it's in the best interest of students, families, and staff that schools remain open whenever possible. As Utah law requires missed days of instruction to be made up, options like a delayed start and virtual learning are considered before completely closing schools.
Below are some basic guidelines regarding school closures. More information is available at www.tooeleschools.org or by contacting the Student Services Department.
How We DecideOur primary focus is twofold; student/staff safety and interruption of learning. Any closures are authorized by the superintendent of schools after consulting with senior staff members, operations, and transportation. We may also consult with the emergency management, National Weather Service, and other local agencies as needed. During inclement weather, this typically includes operations teams surveying road conditions and school access throughout the night. |
How We CommunicateRegarding any school closures, we will notify staff, parents, and students as early as possible through email and phone calls. Sometimes that is the day before, but typically with weather that will be the morning of by around 6:00 am. We will also use our website, social media, and local news outlets as needed. Please follow our official Facebook and Twitter accounts for accurate information. No announcement means schools will be open and operate as usual. |
Please note any closure is for one day only. Schools will remain open for in-person instruction on scheduled school days unless extreme weather limits school access or creates unsafe traveling conditions. Regardless of our decision, if parents/guardians prefer to keep students home, please do so.
Teachers will be available on remote learning days via email and connect with students through services like Canvas, Zoom, or Google Meet.
Tips to Receive Information
- Update contact information in Skyward.
- Verify information regarding closures is from official TCSD pages and websites.
- Add info@tooeleschools.org to safe email contacts.
Emergency Drill Schedule
Tooele County School District 2024-2025
In order to standardize and to help ensure that the necessary drills are being conducted by each school and department throughout the year, the following months will have the assigned drills conducted and accounted for by the administrator. In addition to announcing drills through your various PA systems, and activating your fire alarms for fire and evacuation, all drills should also be run through the Emergent 3 desktop software or Emergent 3 phone app. The Emergent 3 system will account for your drill and there will be no need to report the drill to the district.
August – Apr
Reunification Drill – all schools and departments
a) Each school must develop a student/parent reunification plan (please submit to Bob Curfew)
b) Minimum one parent/student reunification drill.
August
Fire Drill (Evacuate) - all schools and departments. This must be done within the first 10 days of school.
September
Secure Drill – all Schools and departments
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – Elementary Schools
October
Lockdown Drill - all schools and departments
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – all schools and departments
November
Shelter In Place (Earthquake) – all schools and departments
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – elementary schools
December
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – all schools and departments
January
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – all schools and departments. This must be done within the first 10 days of returning to school.
February
Secure Drill – all schools and departments
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – elementary schools
March
Lockdown Drill – all schools and departments
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – all schools and departments
April
Shelter in Place (Earthquake) – Utah Great Shakeout (Date TBD)
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – elementary schools.
May
Fire Drill (Evacuate) – all schools and departments
Great Utah Shakeout
Safe Schools Training for Staff
Safe UT
Call 833-372-3388 or
Chat Now
For Students:
The SafeUT app is there when you need someone to talk to, but you're not sure who to turn to. Ask a simple question, or start an in-depth conversation.
For Educators:
An educator’s job involves more than just instilling facts or numbers in the minds of students. It can also involve looking out for those students’ emotional wellbeing. Here you’ll find resources to assist you in this important role.
Of course, don’t forget yourself. The long days and nights of an educator can be emotionally taxing, and SafeUT is there for you too, offering support and referral assistance any time.
Safe Walking Routes
School Resource Officers
Standard Response Protocol
Standard Response Protocol
Information for Parents and Guardians
Our school district has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Students and staff will be training, practicing, and drilling the protocol.
Common Language
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on an all- hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. Like the Incident Command System (ICS), SRP utilizes clear common language while allowing for flexibility in protocol.
The premise is simple - there are five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a “Term of Art” and is then followed by a “Directive.” Execution of the action is per- formed by active participants, including students, staff, teachers and first responders. The SRP is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.
Hold
“In Your Classroom or Area”
Students are trained to:
• Clear the hallways and remain in their area or room until the
“All Clear” is announced
• Do business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
• Close and lock the door
• Account for students and adults
• Do business as usual
Secure
“Get Inside. lock outside doors”
Students are trained to:
• Return to inside of building
• Do business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
• Bring everyone indoors
• Lock the outside doors
• Increase situational awareness
• Account for students and adults
• Do business as usual
Lockdown
“Locks, lights, out of Sight”
Students are trained to:
• Move away from sight
• Maintain silence
• Do not open the door
Adults and staff are trained to:
• Recover students from hallway if possible
• Lock the classroom door
• Turn out the lights
• Move away from sight
• Maintain silence
• Do not open the door
• Prepare to evade or defend
Evacuate
“To a location”
Students are trained to:
• Leave stuff behind if required to
• If possible, bring their phone
• Follow instructions
Adults and staff are trained to:
• Bring roll sheet and Go Bag (unless instructed not to bring anything with them, dependent on reason for evacuation.)
• Lead students to Evacuation location
• Account for students and adults
• Report injuries or problems using Red Card/Green Card method.
Shelter
“State Hazard and Safety Strategy”
Hazards might include:
• Tornado
• Hazmat
• Earthquake
• Tsunami
Safety Strategies might include:
• Evacuate to shelter area
• Seal the room
• Drop, cover and hold
• Get to high ground
Students are trained in:
• Appropriate Hazards and Safety Strategies
Adults and staff are trained in:
• Appropriate Hazards and Safety Strategies
• Accounting for students and adults
Report injuries or problems using Red Card/Green Card method.
Parent Guidance
Secure
Secure is called when there is something dangerous outside of the building. Students and staff are brought into the building and the outside doors will be locked. The school might display the Building is Secured poster on entry doors or nearby windows. Inside, it will be business as usual.
Should parents come to the school during a secure event?
Probably not. Every effort is made to conduct classes as normal during a secure event. Additionally, parents may be asked to stay out- side during a Secure event.
What if parents need to pick up their student?
Depending on the situation, it may not be safe to release the student. As the situation evolves, Secure might change to a Monitored Entry and/or Controlled Release.
Will parents be notified when a school goes into secure?
When a secure event is brief or the hazard is non-violent, like a wild animal on the playground, there may not be a need to notify parents while the Secure is in place.
With longer or more dangerous events, the school should notify parents that the school has increased their security.
Lockdown
A Lockdown is called when there is something dangerous inside of the building. Students and staff are trained to enter or remain in a room that can be locked, and maintain silence.
A Lockdown is only initiated when there is an active threat inside or very close to the building.
Should parents come to the school during a lockdown?
The natural inclination for parents is to go to the school during a Lockdown. Understandable, but perhaps problematic. If there is a threat inside the building, law enforcement will be responding. It is unlikely that parents will be granted access to the building or even the campus. If parents are al- ready in the school, they will be instructed to Lockdown as well.
Should parents text their students?
The school recognizes the importance of communication between parents and students during a Lockdown event. Parents should be aware though, during the initial period of a Lockdown, it may not be safe for students to text their parents. As the situation resolves, students may be asked to update their parents on a regular basis.
In some cases, students may be evacuated and transported off-site for a student-parent reunification.
What about unannounced drills?
The school may conduct unscheduled drills, however it is highly discouraged to conduct one without announcing that it as a drill. That’s called an unannounced drill and can cause undue concern and stress.
Parents should recognize that the school will always inform students that it is a drill during the initial announcement.
It’s important to differentiate between a drill and an exercise. A drill is used to create the “Muscle Memory” associated with a practiced action. There is no simulation of an event; this is simply performing the action. An exercise simulates an actual event to test the capacity of personnel and equipment.
Can parents observe or participate in drills?
The school welcomes parents who wish to observe or participate in drills.
© Copyright 2009-2020, All Rights Reserved. The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. Conifer, CO. The Standard Response Protocol and Logo are Trademarks of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. This material may be duplicated for distribution per “SRP Terms of Use”. SRP-K12 2021 Parent Handout | V 3.0 | Revised: 04/21/2020 | http://iloveuguys.org
Title IX
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF NONDISCRIMINATION
Tooele County School District does not discriminate against any person based on race, color,
national origin, sex, gender, disability, age or any other classification protected by law in employment,
programs or educational opportunities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended. The district also provides equal access to district facilities for all youth groups
listed in Title 36 of the United States Code.
Tooele County School District will take steps to assure that the lack of English language skills will not
be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and CTE programs.
For more information on your rights or grievance procedures, please contact the following individual
who is designated to coordinate Title IX and Section 504 compliance for TCSD.
504 District Coordinators
Heather Castagno
435-833-1900 ext 1715
555 E. Vine Street
Tooele, Utah 84074
Charles Hansen
435-833-1900 ext 1920
92 S. Lodestone Way
Tooele, Utah 84074
Title IX Investigators
Terry Christensen
435-833-1900 ext 1112
92 S. Lodestone Way
Tooele, Utah 84074
Robert Curfew
435-833-1900 ext 1737
555 E. Vine Street
Tooele, Utah 84074