Parent’s Student Release Package

We recognize that when an emergency occurs, parents will be worried and want to be reunited with their child as quickly as possible. It is our intention to make this happen. To ensure every child’s safety and the safety of staff, specific procedures have been established for releasing students.

When an emergency occurs

Although your natural instincts in an emergency may be to go to the school to safeguard your child, please understand that doing so could impede the response to the situation. Going to the school may interfere with emergency crews’ and school personnel’s efforts to deal with the emergency. Extra vehicles and people at the site make the task more difficult. Please follow the instructions that we give to you by way of one of the communication methods we will be using as outlined below. Please do not come to the school to pick up your child unless requested to do so.

When you arrive at the school, you may still be in the midst of an emergency, please respect the protocol in progress. While we understand personal circumstances or initial reactions might move you to do something contrary to the school’s established procedures, we cannot compromise the safety of students or staff to accommodate individual requests that could put anyone at risk.

Parents are asked to adhere to the Student Release Procedures listed below. Staff will work hard to ensure these procedures take place without delay. Please understand the process will still take some time. We ask for your patience when arriving at the School “Check-in Area” (Blue Gate reunion area).

Student Release Process

1. A Parent-Child Reunion Area will be established (Check in Area – Blue Gate). Parents will be notified at the time of an emergency of the Reunion Area’s location. The location may not be at the School Blue Gate – the location will depend on the specifics of the emergency and you will be advised when contacted where to pick up your child.
2. You will fill out a Student Release /Runner form. This ensures all students are accounted for at all times and ensures that students will only be released to authorized individuals.
3. Students will only be released to an individual designated as a legal guardian or Temporary Guardian on the Student’s Release Information Card, which is completed at the time of school registration. Please be sure to keep this information current with your school, as the school will only release a child to you or someone listed as a Temporary Guardian – there will be no exceptions.
4. Valid picture identification is required to pick up your child. This is required to protect your child from any unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up students. Even if school personnel know you, you must still present picture I.D. as the school may be receiving assistance from other schools or outside agencies.
5. You will be required to sign for the release of your child. This is extremely important, as it ensures your child, along with other students, are accounted for at all times. Do not take your child from the school or evacuation centre without signing for his/her release under any circumstances.
6. Once you have been reunited with your child, please leave the area immediately. This is for your own safety and that of your child.

If you are unable to pick up your child, he/she will be kept at the Student Release Centre until alternate arrangements can be made. Your child will be supervised at all times.

Communications

Please DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL and DO NOT CALL YOUR CHILD’S CELL PHONE. Parents are asked not to call the school or their child’s cell phone during an emergency.

a. Phone systems need to remain available for handling the actual emergency.
b. Overloading the system may mean the school cannot communicate with first responders.
c. Calling your child’s cell phone during an emergency may be putting them at higher risk by disclosing their location or drawing attention to them during a lock-down.
d. Experts advise that under some circumstances cell phones and other electric devices may actually act as an ignition source for fires or explosions.

Crisis Notification and the Media to keep Informed during an Emergency

During an emergency, it is unlikely you will be able to reach the school by phone. We will, however, make every effort to contact parents / guardians directly by phone or by one of our Crisis Notification Systems noted below. Stay tuned to the CKNW 98 radio station for news alerts as well as television stations if available.

Website, Email, and Social Media

During an emergency response, we plan to keep everyone informed of the emergency “current situation” as quickly as possible and to keep updating you at regular intervals by using our website under the tag “Emergency”. No other Social Media will be used.

During an emergency situation, please note that any instructions or messages for you to pick up your child will be by email, or posted on our website as the telephone system may be down.