Are the schools prepared for a crisis?

The Shaker Heights City Schools have had a disaster plan in place for many years to address a myriad of potential adverse events, including severe storms, fires, natural disasters, or unwanted visitors to our school buildings. Over the past few years, the plan has undergone a comprehensive review and revision to include protocols for responding to homeland security issues. Staff members are familiar with the plan and what actions they are to take to safeguard the children in their charge.

Have school officials consulted with the city’s safety officials?

Yes, senior staff members of the School District meet regularly with the Shaker Heights Chief of Police and Fire Chief to discuss safety and security issues. The Police and Fire Departments have been and continue to be involved in every aspect of crisis planning.

How were the emergency procedures developed?

Shaker Heights school officials have culled information from a variety of sources dedicated to national and local security, including appropriate federal agencies and professional organizations. The district also received information from the Ohio Department of Education, and from the Shaker Heights Police, Fire, and Health Departments.

What happens if the national terror alert level is raised to red, or “severe alert?”

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a threat condition of red or “severe risk of terrorist attacks,” is not intended to be sustained for long periods of time as are the other, lower-threat levels. If the threat level does elevate to red, the schools would immediately implement the appropriate security protocols from our Critical Events Manual. These could include a lockdown, shelter in place, or early dismissal, depending upon the exact circumstances and emergency officials’ recommendations.

While the red alert status is in effect, the state and federal governments reserve the right to close all public and government facilities, including schools, if they believe that is the most prudent course of action. The Shaker Heights City Schools would remain open during a red alert status unless we are directed to do otherwise by state or federal emergency management officials. Parents are urged to put back-up plans in place just in case an early dismissal of students is ever necessary.

As in other emergencies, parents would be permitted to pick up their children if it would not compromise the safety of their children or other children in the school. Parents must report to the office if picking up their children and may be asked to provide photo identification. Please be sure that all family members who are authorized to pick up your children are on file with your children’s schools.

We believe, however, that the children are safe in school and staff will be doing everything possible to ensure students feel safe and secure in their school environment. Although the additional security procedures would be in place, it would be business as usual in our classrooms.

If an attack occurred, could I pick up my child right away?

This is perhaps the area of student safety with which the district will need the most cooperation from our parent community. Although parents are permitted to pick up their children in most emergencies, in the case of a biological or chemical attack, the schools would in effect be locked down and no one permitted to leave or enter until we receive the all-clear from local emergency officials.

The reason for this is to avoid cross-contamination from harmful chemical or biological agents. If such an attack were to occur in downtown Cleveland, for example, parents returning to Shaker Heights from downtown without first being decontaminated could spread the harmful agents to their homes or to the school buildings and students. This is why it would be necessary to restrict access to the schools and students during a crisis precipitated by an attack.

School officials would wait until emergency personnel, including fire, HAZMAT and police safety forces, indicate the threat has passed or is minimized to the point that it is safe to allow students to leave the building and potentially exposed parents to enter. The students and staff in each building would shelter in place until the all clear is given. All students would remain under the guidance and care of teachers and school staff.

How will I know what is going on with my child?

During such an extreme eventuality, the schools would be communicating with parents via several means, including local radio and television news and, if possible, through the School District’s website, www.shaker.org. To help us keep our phone lines open for communication with safety forces, we ask that you not call the school.

When the danger has passed, how will my child get home?

If safety forces determine that the danger is over, students will be released in an orderly way. Since it is impossible to predict what the adverse event may be or what the impact on local roads and traffic may be, some aspects of this facet of the emergency plan will need to be determined at that time. However, the district anticipates that if there is no danger, students will get home in their customary manner. Transportation will be provided first to public school students and if possible to nonpublic school students who live in Shaker Heights and ride Shaker buses to school.

The details of a mass dismissal of students would be communicated to parents as the all-clear signal is given. The prime focus of such a dismissal plan would be student safety and comfort.

Sheltering in place seems extreme for the schools if an attack isn’t local. Is this really necessary? Are other districts putting similar plans in place?

Although there are no federal guidelines for schools to follow, many districts in our area and around the nation are putting similar contingency plans in place, citing student safety as the primary basis for these decisions. We believe that our existing plans are well reasoned and prepare us well for the eventuality of just about any possible disaster.

However, as more information becomes available, we will continue to consider additional contingency plans - no matter how remote the possibility of their implementation - to ensure the safety of our students and staff as we navigate the uncharted waters of the prospect of large-scale terrorist attacks.

If the schools do need to shelter in place, how will my child’s needs be met? Will there be enough food, water and other necessities?

School staff members will remain with your children during the period of sheltering in place. According to safety officials, most periods of sheltering in place are short in duration and do not extend beyond a few hours. However, in the event that students and staff must remain in the school buildings for an extended period of time, they will have access to food and water.

First published in 2003; updated November 2006

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