Emergency Overview for Parents

A CSSP is a strategic document that outlines how a school prepares for and responds to emergencies, promotes a safe school climate, and complies with state safety mandates. It is reviewed and updated annually by March 1 and presented at a public meeting for community input.

Key Components of the CSSP Include:

• Assessment of school safety and crime
• Child abuse reporting procedures
• Disaster and emergency response procedures
• Earthquake and fire drill protocols
• Lockdown, evacuation, and shelter-in-place procedures
• Procedures for notifying staff of dangerous students
• Anti-discrimination and harassment policies
• Safe ingress (entry) and egress (exit) routes

When sharing portions of the Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP), it is essential to exercise discretion, especially regarding sections that detail specific responses to emergencies or potential threats. Publicly disclosing too much information could unintentionally compromise the safety measures the plan is designed to protect.

With that in mind, families and community members can access certain information about their school’s comprehensive school safety plan in the following ways:

• School Accountability Report Card (SARC): Available on each school’s website.
• In-Person Review: Visit the school office to request a review of allowable sections of the CSSP with the principal.

For questions or more information, please contact our school’s main office or the Student & Community Services Department at the district office. Together, we ensure our schools remain safe, supportive, and prepared.

With recent fires, earthquakes, and lockdowns in the news, parents often wonder about the plans and practices Villa Park Elementary makes for emergencies.  Every March, in consultation with local law and fire authorities, our School Site Council reviews and approves our Comprehensive School Safety Plan. Throughout the year, we conduct drills and update plans as needed to ensure readiness.

Three types of drills are practiced regularly:

·       Fire danger on campus - all students go to blacktop line up positions immediately, all students are accounted for. Students do not re-enter building until given all clear.

·       Earthquake - all duck and cover (this is practiced inside and outside). When shaking has stopped, students evacuate to black top and all students are accounted for. If conditions warrant, students are moved to evacuation locations on the grass in buddy teams of upper and lower grade students.  Site teams are deployed to search the campus and provide support to students. Supplies are maintained on campus in the event students needed to stay for an extended period. 

·       Shelter in place - (formally called soft lockdown) instruction may continue as usual, no students allowed in or outside room until the all clear is called. This may be called when there is a danger in the community or hazardous conditions outside.

·       Lockdown - all students move away from doors and windows and crouch in a hiding place in room. Lights are off and doors are closed and locked.  Students outside move to nearest room on announcement. Designated rooms are available during lunch time to shelter students; this is also practiced.  Team sweeps campus if possible. Students accounted for by staff internal messaging system.   In a true lockdown doors remained lock until police or administrator come to rooms. Law enforcement does consult with the staff to help guide these procedures.

The School Messenger system can be activated via mobile to inform parents of the situation and whether students will remain at school, can be picked up on campus, or will be evacuated to another site, and can be picked up there.  There is a designation that this is an emergency message.  Please be sure you are receiving these messages.

Staff will have emergency cards-only people on emergency cards can take students.

·       The person taking the student will sign the students(s) out

·       Staff will ask for ID if the person picking up the child is unknown to the staff.

·       Students may be unable to get belongings.

·       Radios and runners will be used to get students, parents may not come on campus to retrieve students.

·       Reunification may be halted if evacuation off site is necessary and ready. Parents asked to follow buses to evacuation site to pick up children.

·       Parents will be advised of check out location.  We have plans for three scenarios:

o   Check out as usual in the office- voluntary early release- no imminent danger

o   Check out at back gate off Lincoln Parking lot- students evacuated from the school buildings, safe to be outside. (ex. major earthquake)

o   Check out from front parent waiting area near MPR off Center Street- students safe in buildings but moved to centralized locations to prepare for likely off site evacuation.

Off Site Evacuation-

·       Buses will be sent for students. Staff will ride with students.  Campus will be searched and all students accounted for.

·       Parents will be notified of evacuation destination and will reunify there. Primary location- Villa Park High, secondary-Cerro Villa Middle School,  third- district office fields at Handy & Katella.

·       Reunification procedures will be as above.

·       Medications will travel with students to the evacuation location

·       Students will be cared for as long as needed at evacuation site.