School Safety and Emergency Drills

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish School will conduct fire (evacuation) drills and lockdown drills as required by education law and regulation and the fire code without exceptions. We will continue to conduct mandatory fire and lockdown drills according to the existing statutory schedule (eight (8) evacuation and four (4) lockdown drills each school year). Drills will be conducted in a manner that maintains social distancing at exits and gathering points outside the building, while still preparing students to respond in emergencies. 

Written protocols for safety drills are in the School Safety Plan and visuals are displayed in each classroom.

Students will be instructed that if it was an actual emergency that required evacuation or lockdown, the most imminent concern is to get to safety; maintaining social distancing in an actual emergency that requires evacuation or lockdown may not be possible and should not be the first priority.

The school modifications to evacuation drill protocols may include, but are not limited to:

• St. Kateri Parish School faculty develop and conduce lessons in emergency procedures and participating in drills during the first full week of school.
• Fire drills will be conducted on a “staggered” schedule, where certain classes will already outside allowing appropriate distance to be in hallways and between students to the evacuation site. Staggering minimizes contact of students in hallways, stairwells, and at the evacuation site. 
• Lockdown drills will require use of masks, students facing the same direction, and as much spacing as possible between students.  Students will practice being quiet, listening for directions, while other protocols are followed (doors closed and locked, lights off etc.)
• Regardless of the modification used when conducting drills, students will be instructed that if it was an actual emergency that required evacuation or lockdown, the most imminent concern is to get to safety; maintaining social distancing in an actual emergency that requires evacuation or lockdown may not be possible and should not be the first priority.