Departments & Programs

Community Relations

Emergency Planning in Our Schools

School division policies and our crisis management plan are a framework for addressing emergencies at all levels of urgency. School leaders and resource officers work throughout the year in evaluating security measures and planning for crises and emergencies. Our plans include:

  • Training for employees at all levels
  • Building security procedures
  • Surveillance cameras at the middle and high schools
  • Police officers at the upper elementary, middle, and high schools
  • Continued awareness of local or national events and their impact
  • Participation in local emergency management activities and drills with government, school, and public health officials

A critical ingredient in emergency plans is a uniform classroom response to an incident at school. Our school division has adopted Standard Response Protocol as a model. The Standard Response Protocol is based not on individual scenarios but on the response to any given scenario. Like the Incident Command System, SRP demands a specific vocabulary but also allows for great flexibility.

How Parents Can Prepare

  • Subscribe to the CCS List Serv
  • Keep your contact information up-to-date
  • Make sure your children know where to go in case of an unscheduled school closing

Tips for Parents

  • Check email for List Serv messages or AlertNow messages.
  • Check voice mail messages delivered to your designated contact numbers.
  • Visit www.charlottesvilleschool.org for updated emergency information or call the division information line at 245-2401.
  • Listen to local media for news or updates.
  • Do not call the school. This may tie up school phone lines necessary to emergency communications.
  • Wait for directions from school officials regarding transportation or pickup arrangements. Many times, school is the safest place for children to be during a crisis.

Emergency Communications

In cooperation with other responding agencies, school administrators will relay crisis updates and information in a number of ways.

Response & recovery

Student safety is the top priority in any crisis or emergency. Many different agencies may be called to respond in a crisis and our plans are designed to facilitate immediate and coordinated action. Evacuation or relocation of students may be required. In all cases, communication will be delivered as quickly and accurately as possible. In addition, the school division has staff and resources to address the aftermath of a crisis situation. School counselors provide services to both students and staff. Debriefings with school staff and responders are conducted to evaluate the response.