FILE:  EBBC

Cf:  EBB, EBBB

EMERGENCY/CRISIS MANAGEMENT

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE

Unanticipated tragic events can quickly escalate into a school-wide catastrophe if not dealt with immediately and effectively.  School personnel shall plan in advance for the welfare, safety, and care of students and staff members.  Every school shall be required to have a Crisis Management and Response Plan.  A Crisis Management and Response Plan means a plan to address school safety and the incidence of a shooting or other violence at schools, on school buses, and at school-related activities; to respond effectively to such incidents; and to ensure that every student, teacher, and school employee has access to a safe, secure, and orderly school that is conducive to learning.  Such plans shall also address the management of any other emergency situation.

The Crisis Management and Response Plan must include procedures for distributing classroom door keys to substitute employees and procedures for briefing substitute employees on emergency response.

The Crisis Management and Response Plan shall be prepared by each public school principal jointly with local law enforcement, fire, public safety, and emergency preparedness officials.  In preparing the plan, the principal and such officials shall consider and include, if appropriate, input from students enrolled in the school and their parents, teachers at the school, other school employees, and community leaders.  The plan, which shall focus on preventing the loss of life and the injury of students and teachers and other school employees, shall detail the roles and responsibilities of each school employee and the relevant coordination agreements, services, and security measures of a school and provide for parental notification in the event of a shooting or other violent incident or emergency situation.  The plan may also provide for the counseling of students by mental health professionals, encouraging peer helper programs, and identifying students who may have experienced rejection or other traumatic life events.

Each principal, jointly with local law enforcement, fire, public safety, school resource officers, and emergency preparedness officials, shall review the plan at least once annually and shall revise the plan as necessary.  In reviewing and revising the plan, the principal and such officials shall consider and include input, if appropriate, from students enrolled in the school and their parents, teachers at the school, other school employees, and community leaders.  Each principal shall submit such plan in writing to the Superintendent or his/her designee for approval at least once annually, including upon each revision, and shall notify all teachers and other school employees of the contents of the plan and any revisions made to it.

Within the first thirty (30) days of each school year, each principal shall conduct a safety drill to rehearse the components of the Crisis Management and Response Plan.  Not later than seven (7) days after the drill, the principal shall submit a written report summarizing the details of the drill to the Director of Risk Management.

The Superintendent shall make an annual report to the School Board on the status of the plan of each school under the School Board’s jurisdiction.

OTHER EMERGENCY DRILLS

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall require procedures be planned by the principal and faculty of each school to assure orderly movement and evacuation of students to the safest area in the event of fire, weather, or other disasters.  Practice drills shall be used to ensure the effectiveness of the procedures.

Every separate administration building shall conduct practice drills as well.

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:416.16, 40:1578.6

Louisiana School Transportation Specifications and Procedures, Bulletin 119

Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education

Life Safety Code, National Fire Protection Association

Board minutes, 3-18-98, 10-15-14, 10-3-18

Lafayette Parish School Board