Naples CSD to Implement Lockdown Drills
Dear Parents and Guardians:
New York State laws have recently changed requiring the number of safety drills that schools must now practice. One of the biggest changes is practicing “lockdown” drills 4 times per year instead of just once. In the past we have sent home a letter after the lockdown drill and posted information on our website. We will do that again this year so you are informed, as well as to prepare you in case your child has any questions when they come home from school. Below you will find information that our school psychologists, Tammy Matthews and Brian Meteyer, have shared with staff. Our teachers know their students best, but these are guidelines that teachers can use when talking with students. Our staff members always do their best to think about what is developmentally appropriate for our young learners, and we welcome any questions or comments you have on this topic. Please feel free to use this information as a resource when talking with your child. Again, please be aware that this is now part of the safety laws governing schools, so we do not have a choice in terms of how many times we practice these drills. Our School Resource Officer, Rick Jaus, is involved in the planning of these drills and does an excellent job of helping to “prepare, not scare” our students. Our goal is to spread them out over the course of the school year. Our first drill will happen sometime in the next few weeks.
Sincerely,
Kristina Saucke
Naples Elementary Principal
(585) 374-7951
ksaucke@naplescsd.org
Suggestions on how to discuss Lockdown & Shelter in Place Drills:
Every day, we do things to keep ourselves safe. Let’s think of some examples. What do you put on before you start biking? What do you do before walking across the street? What do you put on in the car to be safe? Another way we stay safe is by practicing for things that probably won’t happen but it is good to be prepared for just in case. Practice means being prepared. Just as we sometimes practice fire drills so that we’ll know what to do in case there is a fire, we are now going to practice being safe when there’s trouble around. Practice helps us know what to do just in case of an emergency. We can practice our response so we are prepared.
Next week/sometime, we will practice this in a drill called a “Shelter in Place/Lockdown Drill.” You will know we are having a drill when you hear the announcement. Just like a fire drill, you will not hear that this is a “practice” or a “drill” until it is all done. But we must act like it is real for it to be a good practice of what to do.
Specific class procedures would be reviewed at this time. When everything is safe, the adult will tell you that everything is all clear and we can go back to our regular school day.
We are all here to keep you safe. Practice means we are prepared and can feel confident that we all know what to do just in case. Having a plan like this and practicing what to do in a shelter/lockdown drill means that we don’t have to worry about these concerns and instead we can focus on having fun and learning at school.
Points to remember:
- For young children, it's probably enough to say that bad things sometimes happen and we can protect you in school by doing this drill. At 10 or so, kids begin to get a little bit more of a impression of the world, and may have more specific questions about what kinds of circumstances would need these drills. It’s important to not get emotional when talking about further details, since that will help kids feel more secure. The less upset you are, the more matter of fact you are, the more they'll take it in stride.
- Be honest
- Prepare, but don’t scare.
- Explain/remind that it’s not always an emergency. Lockdown procedures are truly a way to keep kids safe, but aren’t always an emergency situation. For example, if a pipe were to burst and was spraying water, kids would need to be put in a safe location. Knowing that adults have student safety in mind at all times can also help keep the kids calm.
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