Safety Information

At Thomas MacLaren School, we are keenly aware that we are being entrusted with the safety and welfare of children. While our primary work is educating these children, we know children need safety and security in order to be free to learn. While we cannot plan for every contingency and make a full-proof plan for all hazard prevention, we are nonetheless charged with the care and the safety of our students.

As an important component of school safety planning, the Thomas MacLaren School Board has adopted the National Response Framework and National Incident Management System (NIMS) as applicable to schools. In adopting the National Response Framework and NIMS, Thomas MacLaren School uses Incident Command System (ICS) to ensure all responders use common language and processes when responding to a school emergency. Staff are trained on their roles and responsibilities within the ICS organizational chart, and the school refines these roles during regular drills and table top exercises. We evaluate our systems and procedures after these exercises, and work to make our systems and protocols clearer and more effective as a result.

One important aspect of ICS is the ability to use the same language as law enforcement for very clear communication in a crisis. At the recommendation of law enforcement, MacLaren works to create emergency response protocols aligned with Standard Response Protocols (SRP). The SRP is action-based, flexible, and simple. Five distinct action categories may be used to direct an incident. The category of incident will be communicated followed by specific actions associated with that category. This enables swift and coordinated responses from students, staff, and teachers, and first responders. The five actions are Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. Please see the Safety Protocols Overview for more details.
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