Shelter in Place Procedures

Today McMillan experienced a shelter in place protocol, due to a police incident that occured in the neighborhood. This can be a stressful for parents for sure, so there are a few things we want you to know about shelter in place  and why it happens.

Shelter in place is, in many cases, a way of ensuring safety for staff and students before something happens at the school. This was the case today. A police incident was taking place elsewhere, and the APD ensured our school's safety by alerting us. By locking our doors and keeping everyone inside, we ensured the safety of students and staff. Everything was "normal" inside our building otherwise. The best way you can help in this sort of shelter in place is to stay away from the school and allow the professionals involved to perform their duties.

Sometimes we shelter in place due to an animal on the playground. Or there may be hazards on the school yard because of weather such as wind or ice. Again, by staying away, you allow space for those who may be dealing with the situation. You can be assured that your child is secure in the building and we are tending to their needs. We are able to, and will contact you, if there is a need.

In the event of a medical emergency within the school, or a student incident that may be causing a scene or potential damage to property or people, we would shelter in place within our classrooms. These events tend to be short and have the effect of providing privacy for the person who may be in distress, allowing the professionals who need to be there the space to do their job, and keep everyone else safe from accidental injury.

In all these scenarios, parent presence creates more variables for the staff to manage, and is generally unneccessary. Yes, today's event was stressful. The large police presence  in the community was alarming for you who were out there. But inside McMillan, we were calm and in our classrooms, the gym and the library, learning, laughing and carrying on with our day.

Typically, a notice from the Superintendent of Schools will be sent to parents after an emergency protocol has been used to give some closure, as is the case today. 

Thank you all for your support.