Frequently Asked Questions for Parents about ALICE school safety drills
Q: What is ALICE and ALICE training?
A: The school safety protocol called ALICE was created by a law enforcement officer as a response for students, faculty, and staff to utilize in the event of an armed intruder in a school building. Pleasant Hill CUSD #3 began utilizing the ALICE response in 2017-2018. This training encourages staff and students to respond based on their situation, rather than rely on centralized instructions in dynamic times of crisis.
ALICE is a federally endorsed safety protocol and was endorsed HR 0865. The letters ALICE stand for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate:
- Alert – inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible.
- Lockdown – Students and Staff can choose to lockdown and barricade the room that they are in if they determine that it is not safe to evacuate.
- Inform – pass on as much information as possible to others and to First Responders, including contacting 911.
- Counter – an effort of last resort, if an armed intruder is able to get into the space that they are in; students are being trained to use every effort to stop the intruder instead of being passive victims.
- Evacuate – If it is safe to do so, all are encouraged to evacuate the building, and remove themselves from the threat.
Under ALICE training, staff and students are oriented to different options to respond to a school intruder who is intent on doing harm. In certain circumstances, the “lock the door and hide” strategy might be appropriate. In some cases, the teacher and students might take precautions to barricade the entrance(s) of the classroom. Under certain conditions, it might be the best decision for the teacher and students to flee the building. It is the intention of ALICE that the strategies we provide will increase the chances that our staff and students might survive if a terrible circumstance of an armed intruder ever were to occur.
Q: Are people expected to follow ALICE in order? Are you supposed to Alert, then lockdown, then inform?
A: ALICE is not intended to be a checklist of things to do. It is a list of choices, with accompanying strategies, that are options for our students and staff to help them stay safe in the highly unlikely event of an armed intruder. Some may choose to evacuate and some may choose to lockdown and barricade. Others may be forced to counter if an armed intruder is able to enter the space they are in. ALICE trains people to know they have choices in an emergency situation.
Q: Does the “Counter”part of the protocol mean fighting back?
A: The main intent of Counter is to distract the intruder, not try to physically take on the intruder. An example of Counter would be to throw objects at an intruder for a distraction. Passive or static has typically not shown to be an effective response in most Active Shooter events. There are examples within recent events of school violence where the difference of passive and active responses determined survival chances. A different approach is needed to help keep our students and staff safe.
Q: How will parents be notified if their child’s school is in lockdown?
A: Notification will be sent out using all manners of school communication, including a text message/e-mail/phone call from Remind, social media, website updates, media alerts, and any other venue that we have at our means. Families are encouraged to contact the district secretary, Stephanie Whitlock, if they are not currently receiving Remind notifications.
Q: How will the information be presented to children at the Elementary and Junior High School?
A: All drills and training will be age appropriate. The District and the Pike County Sheriff's Department are working together to be sure that we do not scare or confuse any students while at the same time getting them the information they need if an event occurs. Additionally, at this time, there is no plan to have simulated shooters in our buildings while students are learning about ALICE. All learning will be staff-directed and student-centered. Parents are encouraged, if they wish, to contact their principals with specific questions and concerns.
Q: Where can I go to find out more about ALICE?
A: Here are some links to external information and articles about ALICE. There are many more should you choose to do an independent search.
This video has been deemed appropriate for ages 14 and up; however, we encourage parents to view the video prior to sharing it. - VIDEO: Run, Fight, Hide.
https://www.alicetraining.com/
Q: What if I do not want my child to participate in the training?
A: Parents who do not wish for their child to participate in ALICE school safety training should talk to their building principal to opt their children out of the training. The principal and teachers can work with parents to make plans for students who are not participating.
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