Safety Drills and Procedures

Our district is committed to providing a safe environment that fosters learning for all students. In the case of emergencies, our staff are trained and prepared to respond. The Harrisburg School District follows a model recommended by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to respond to a variety of situations including a weather related emergency, school or building disaster, or another threatening situation.

  • All schools participate in emergency drills throughout the year.
  • We use the Standard Response Protocol K-12 (SRP) which is part of the overall school district safety plan.
  • You can learn more about the SRP and its founder at the I Love U Guys Foundation website.
  • The main benefits of the SRP are standardized vocabulary and clear directives in the event of an emergency.

The SRP includes four actions: lockout, lockdown, evacuate, and shelter.

  • Lockout – “Secure the Perimeter,” students are brought inside, windows and doors are locked, no outside activities, business as usual inside the building, and increased situational awareness until all clear.
  • Lockdown – “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” when a threat or hazard is inside the school building, maintain silence, and wait for First Responders to open locked door.
  • Evacuate – “To the Announced Location,” move students to another location within the school or outside the school to evacuation location.
  • Shelter – “For a Hazard using a Safety Strategy,” conditions outside are unsafe due to weather or other hazards and personal protection is necessary.

If you have questions or concerns about safety drills or practices, please contact your child’s school principal.

What You Can Expect in an Emergency

Whenever there is an emergency situation that impacts our schools, an initial emergency alert will be posted on the district web page and via social media. Our goal is to respond quickly in order to minimize the impact of an emergency situation and to provide accurate information to parents and if necessary, emergency personnel. The school district’s response will be determined by what will keep students and staff most safe.

  • Parents and guardians will be given instructions about alternate routes for buses or reunification instructions in the event of a school evacuation.
  • Once a school based emergency is determined, response begins. A standard response protocol (SRP) is used in all schools depending on the situation.
  • The school district will relay information to parents/guardians as soon as possible.

In a crisis it is best to keep school district telephone lines available for emergency communications.