Letter to Parents Announcing School Safety Drill October 24
Dear Parents/Guardians,
School violence continues to be an unfortunate but realistic issue in the world today. All school districts in Illinois are required by law to conduct one emergency evacuation drill each year in conjunction with our local law enforcement agencies. This year’s drill will take place Thursday, October 24, 2024.
The drill will focus on responding to an emergency threat utilizing the school safety response protocol ALICE which encourages students and staff to respond to the threat based on their situation, rather than rely on centralized instructions in dynamic times of crisis. The ALICE approach empowers our staff and students to make informed decisions to keep them safe.
Please be assured we would never teach or ask our students to confront an armed intruder. We will also never conduct unsafe or surprise training drills with students of any age. We will, however, provide students with the knowledge that if faced with a critical situation, there are methods that can be applied that greatly enhance their chances of not being harmed. The ALICE principles include these methods, and together with our school resource officer, will have age-appropriate discussions with our students on them.
For more information on the ALICE protocols, visit our website and view the Frequently Asked Questions and training slides used for high school students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ryan Lowe at the elementary school or Kylee Orr at the high school. For questions regarding the ALICE protocol, please contact Deputy Lisa Hobbs at lisa.hobbs@phwolves.com.
Sincerely,
Kylee Orr, Superintendent
