Safety drills in Wisconsin state law
In addition to regular fire drills and tornado drills, Wisconsin state law also requires all school districts to “drill all pupils in the proper method of evacuation or other appropriate action in case of a school safety incident” at least twice a year. The Board of Education has also adopted the policy that “school safety incident action plan drills are conducted at least twice annually.” Monona Grove School District is in compliance with both state law and our own board policy.
In an April 2018 memo, families were informed that MG schools have adopted threat procedures known as ALICE (Alert, Lockdown & Barricade, Inform, Counter, Evacuate & Escape). ALICE encourages individuals to make the best decisions based on their location and their proximity to the active threat. When we introduced ALICE to students in April, it was important to not rush into overloading the students with too much information at once. We continue to deliver ALICE in a deliberate way so that students will remember what they are taught and in order for learning to continue to build on the foundation that has been created.
How the drills look: Drilling on school safety incidents will look slightly different based on school building and grade level. These drills could include “talking drills” (reading or age-appropriate activities), “thinking drills” (planning and idea-generating), or active practice drills (calmly practicing barricading or evacuating to a safe area). If you have questions about how your students will participate in these drills, please contact the school principal.
When the drills will take place: We are required to have two drills per year; it is up to the school principal to work with District School Resource Officers (SROs) and others to schedule and plan these drills.
Moving forward, as of November 1, 2018, we will not alert families in advance of drills; teachers and staff will be aware and will provide additional support to those students who may need it.
Because these drills are new to students and families, families can expect to receive a message from the school on the day of the drill once it has taken place. As we continue to weave this aspect of safety into our curriculum and process and plans in the coming school years, we will also revisit how often and when we notify families. Any potential change in the years ahead will be announced ahead of time.
Communication moving forward: As of November 1, 2018, families can expect a safety update from the District once per year near the start of the school year. This message will include a reminder about the drills and procedures, and any other important information families need regarding school safety.
More information on ALICE is available here.
You can also purchase “I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared,” a book we use in school about ALICE procedures.
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