Emergencies FAQs

• Responding to a fire drill

When a fire alarm goes off it will be treated as a real emergency. Students should immediately follow all instructions. All personal items not on a student’s person should be left behind and all students should leave the classroom calmly and orderly, leaving the building through the closest exit and congregating as a class in the nearest parking lot. Your teacher is responsible for taking attendance once the class has evacuated the building, so please listen carefully until your teacher has completed a roll call.

If you are in the hallways or separated from our class, please find the nearest security professional or administrator and tell them you have been separated from our class.

• Responding to a lockdown

When a lockdown is announced, it will be treated as a real emergency. Students should immediately follow all instructions. Generally, all students should remain calm and get out of sight of the classroom entrance and remain silent–including all electronic devices. It is the teacher’s responsibility to lock doors, turn off lights and electronic devices, and communicate with administrators or first responders.

• If the teacher is out of the classroom

Generally, your teacher will be in the classroom before you enter. If the door of the classroom is open, please enter and take your seats as usual, even if your teacher is out of sight they are nearby and will be with you shortly. If the classroom door is closed and locked, please line up by the door in a way that doesn’t obstruct hallway traffic and wait patiently for him to open up the door. If the bell rings for the start of class and your teacher is still missing, ONE student may report to the main office to let them know your teacher is missing

• If you think you might throw up

Our classroom is pretty far from the nurse’s office, so if you feel like you may vomit, the garbage can is going to be the place to do it. If you feel vomit is imminent, you may go into the hallway, taking the garbage can with you. If you feel like you can probably make it to the nurse, you may take the garbage can with you.

• When a trip to the nurse is and isn’t warranted

As a young adult in high school, you are fully capable of assessing your physical needs. If a student has a medical need that warrants missing valuable class time, they will always be permitted to leave.

That being said, in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, extreme fatigue, headache, sore throat, persistent cough, or congestion are symptoms of respiratory disease that should be assessed by a medical professional like our nurse.

The expectation is that a trip to the nurse should be used in emergent situations and not a regular occurrence during instructional time.