In the event of a school emergency,  please understand that each school in the Boise School District has an Emergency Response Plan that has been carefully developed and addresses a multitude of emergency situations.   All of these plans have been developed through a coordinated effort with Ada County Emergency Management.  If there is an emergency at your child’s school, your cooperation is necessary to help us respond effectively to such situations.  

In the event of an emergency, please help us by doing the following:

• Please do not call and do not go to the school.

  • In an emergency, onsite staff are focused solely on getting everyone to a safe location. Showing up to the site can create unnecessary traffic, preventing emergency vehicles from responding quickly.  You could also put yourself or others in danger.

  • If you get a call or text from your student, help him or her remain calm. Remind your student that school staff know what to do in an emergency situation, and will work to keep everyone safe.

  • Please know we will communicate with parents/guardians about reunifying you with your child and that this reunification site may not be at the school.

• Check the Boise School District homepage at www.boiseschools.org, the District Facebook page or our Twitter feed.

  • We will provide credible, accurate and useful information to the public as soon as possible. Please be aware that Information received from sources other than the school administrator or Boise School District may be inaccurate.

  • Expect to see our posts updated as necessary. We will also provide updates to local news media, but emergency situations can change rapidly. Typically, multiple agencies are involved, so communication is coordinated through the “lead agency,” which may cause a delay in notification.

• District Parents/Guardians:  Stay Informed with Emergency Text Messages

  • Boise School District uses ParentSquare to deliver emergency text messages directly to parents/guardians and staff. This includes important notifications such as school closures, safety alerts, and other urgent updates.

  • To ensure you receive these alerts, please make sure your school has your current mobile phone number in our student information system. If your number is up to date, you will automatically receive emergency text messages through ParentSquare. If you do have a mobile phone number in ParentSquare, you will receive an email or App/Push notification depending on whether you’ve downloaded the ParentSquare App or not. See below on how to download the ParentSquare App.

• Community Members: Sign-Up for Guest Emergency Text Messages

•  Non-parents/guardians (for example, extended family, community partners, or interested residents) can also receive emergency text alerts by joining the District’s Guest Emergency Text Alert Group.
  
  Learn more and sign-up here for the Guest Emergency Text Alert Group.

• Important Information:

  • You may opt out of receiving text messages at any time by following the instructions included with each message.
  • Message frequency varies. Standard message and data rates may apply.
  • ParentSquare complies with federal student privacy requirements. Your information is safe and will not be sold or shared.
  • For the best mobile experience, download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

  

  Familiarize yourself with the terms used during any emergency situations:

  • Shelter-in-place: Used to secure the building from a potential threat outside the building, such as when an unauthorized person is loitering on school grounds or when there is criminal activity in the neighborhood. Exterior doors are locked, but normal activities continue inside the building.  Used during severe weather or other environmental threats (e.g., air contamination due to a local fire) to keep people safe while remaining indoors.

  • Reverse Evacuation: Used to secure students when they are outside and brought into the building if there is a potential threat from outside.

  • Hall Check: Used to return students quickly to their classrooms. All interior doors are locked and students continue with classroom activities. 

  • Lockdown: Used when there is a perceived danger inside the building. Doors are locked, windows are closed and locked, blinds are closed. People are directed to move away from windows and doors. Hallways are cleared of students and school staff.

  • Evacuation: When students and staff are moved out of the building to a pre-designated safe location.

  • Reverse Evacuation:  Used when there is a perceived danger outside the building. Students are brought in from outside.  Lockdown procedures may be followed once inside.

  • Reunification Site:  An alternative site other than the school where school administrators will check-out students to the child’s parent/guardian. Students will only be released to authorized parents/guardians with proper identification (e.g. driver’s license, state identification, etc.)

All Boise School District staff members, parents, students and community members are encouraged to report anything they see, hear or are made aware of that may impact a school or school program. If you see or hear something, say something: call 911 or Boise Police Department at 208-343-COPS.

Please discuss these matters with your immediate family. Planning ahead will help alleviate concern during emergencies. Thank you in advance for following these steps to ensure our students, staff members and public remain safe and secure.

Sincerely,

Safety & Security

Boise School District