Lock Down

Policy Statement

At Southland Adventist Christian School the safety of students and staff in our school is paramount and we take every precaution to ensure the safety of all. The school needs to be secured in an appropriate manner when dealing with a perceived or actual threat to the school community.

Rationale

We are committed to providing a safe and caring environment for students and staff. Therefore, the school has developed this procedure to respond to a perceived or actual threat to their school community.

Introduction

A lock-down of the school will be implemented anytime students need to be contained and protected inside or outside school buildings, for example;

• A chemical spill, which could put students and staff at risk of toxic inhalation if allowed outside

• A person on the school site who could pose the risk of a hostage situation

• An unarmed, armed or aggressive intruder inside the building

In all these cases the police would request a lock-down of the school to prevent putting students and staff in danger separating them from the risk. 

The lock-down may also help to prevent confusion, and to make it easier for staff to account for all students as it is simpler to determine if a student is missing when the students are at least standing still.

When the ‘lock down’ signal is given, staff will go to their classroom doors, listening, and then looking for a sign of imminent danger. If it’s safe to do so, they will take in any students not already in a classroom, then close and lock the door and turn off the lights. 

General Emergency Lockdown Procedures Communications

1. In the event of a critical incident requiring ‘Lockdown’, the person witnessing the incident must try to notify the school office so that the alarm can be raised. The staff member receiving the incident call will notify the Principal.

2. The person-in-charge at the time of the incident will determine the need for a ‘Lockdown’ and sound the appropriate alarm by pressing the bell button in the Staff Room followed by the ALT button to select the ‘Crazy Man Alert’.

3. An Emergency Lockdown will be announced by the sounding of the School electric bell with intermittent 2 second (on/off) bursts for a continuous period. To stop the signal, push the ‘bell’ button on the School Bell.

4. NOTE: If you cannot access the Staff Room then there is a manual bell switch located on the North Wall of The Hub (near the switchboard cupboard). Manually hold on for 2 seconds, off for 2 seconds then repeat.

5. The person in charge (generally the Principal) or delegated person shall immediately contact the Police and provide as much information as possible. 

6. Fire evacuation alarms are not to be sounded.

Lockdown Procedure

When students are inside

1. As soon as possible lock the classroom and other doors.

2. Close and lock windows.

3. Close blinds.

4. Turn off lights and computer monitors.

5. Staff and students should stay away from windows and doors, and remain low to the ground. 

6. If practical, Room 3 is to move into the Resource Room, Room 4 is to move to the Southern End of The Hub and sit on the floor and Room 1 & Room 2 are to move to the Northern End of The Hub and sit in lines on the floor. Ensure doors are closed behind you.

7. Administration staff will take the school phone and wait in the hallway near the staff bathrooms.

8. Everyone is to remain quiet.

9. Staff should not allow students to use the school phone if there is one available. It must be kept free for communication with the office.

10. Staff with mobile phones should ensure they are turned on, and should check them frequently for messages. 

11. No one is to answer the door under any circumstances.

12. Staff should take a head count and obtain the name of each individual in the room. When practical, email the list of all students, staff and any one else in the room to the office and Principal (office@sacs.school.nz and principal@sacs.school.nz). The list should include names of any missing students. You may also text the Principal on 022 077 0244

13. There are computers available in each classroom to access the internet and class rolls.

14. Should the fire alarm sound, do not evacuate the building unless:

    • You have first hand knowledge that there is a fire in the building, or

    • You have been advised by Police or the person in charge to evacuate the building. 

15. Students and staff should stay where they are until official notification is provided by the person in charge or an identified police officer that the lockdown is over. The code word must be used to signal that the lockdown is over. This code word is changed yearly and only known by the staff and Principal.

16. Where the lockdown lasts an extended period of time or extends beyond normal school hours, the person in charge or designated serious incident co-ordinator should notify parents via local media and with the assistance of local police. 

17. In conjunction with local police, the person in charge or designated serious incident co-ordinator should arrange for parents to pick students up from school at a designated safe area.

When students are outside

1. If the ‘Lockdown Alarm’ is sounded before school, during morning tea or lunch time students are to move directly to The Hall as long as it is safe to do so. If The Hall is not an option, students should move to their classrooms.

2. Teaching staff are to stay in, or move to, their classrooms immediately.

3. Support staff are to move promptly to the playground areas and direct students to the hall/classrooms, if it is safe to do so.

4. The Principal will remain outside until all students are in the building safely.

5. The person in charge should stay in, or move to, the office area to facilitate the communication process.

Note: There may be the need to do a ‘lockdown’ in an outside location (i.e. if an angry parent is inside the building). The location for this is on the West side of the hall. Teachers should be in their High-Viz tops and blow their whistles attached to their evacuation lists boards in classrooms to get the students attention outside.

Ministry of Education Toolkit 5S - Intruder outside Building Emergency Response

Ministry of Education Toolkit 5S - Intruder inside Building Emergency Response