• Emergency Response Information for Parents and Students
    Emergency
     
     
     
    Missoula County Public Schools makes safety in our school buildings a top priority.  There may be some instances where your student will experience an unplanned emergency at school.  In the event of a school emergency that requires students to be evacuated from the school and relocated to another building, please follow these guidelines for reunification with your student(s).
     
     
     
    Information  
     Procedures for Parents/Guardians
    DO NOT telephone.  Telephone lines will be needed for emergency purposes.  Calls to the school will receive a voice message recording only. 
     
    Visit your school website, the District's website or the District's Facebook  or Twitter feed, or tune into local radio and television stations for information about a place to go pick up your student. Notification will also be sent via automated phone/email/text message (assuming all current parent/guardian contact information is provided).
    • Please note that only the parent or guardian or adults officially approved of by the parent or guardian (and on record as such at MCPS) may pick up students.
    • When you arrive at the designated reunification area, you will be greeted at the door and escorted to the reunification area.
    • Give your name and your student's name to the staff member in charge of student-parent reunification.  The staff member will send a runner to get your student.  Please take your identification with you and be prepared to show it if asked by a school employee.
    • A staff member will ask you to sign your student out before you leave to ensure we keep track of all of our students.
    Lockdown
     
    Lockdown Procedures 
     
    Upon recommendations of the school administration or public safety officials, all buildings will go into lockdown mode.  If a severe alert is declared or an emergency situation occurs requiring a lockdown at MCPS facilities, do not panic.  Stay as calm as possible.  Follow these procedures for the safety of ALL students:
     
    • Ensure your own safety.
    • Know that emergency response procedures are in place to safeguard all students; parents should not come to the school.  Lockdowns are usually short-term measures (minutes not hours or days).
    • The school will not release students to parents during a lockdown. 
    • No one will be allowed in or out of the school building until the all-clear signal is given by the school administrators or public safety officials.  
    • Do not call the school; this will tie up emergency lines that must stay open.  In addition, students are asked to remain quiet during a lockdown, so please do not call your student or expect your student to call you. 
    • Listen to the radio or television for current information and instructions, including if and how you may be reunited with your student.  MCPS will also continue to use our automated system throughout the emergency.
    • Finally, we will post information to the District's website at www.mcpsmt.org, Facebook and Twitter feed (as long as we are able to do so).
    If your student's stay at school is extended beyond the regular time, you will receive information about the place and time that you can pick up your student.
     
    Shelter in Place  
     
    Perimeter Lock-In 
     
    We will initiate a perimeter lock-in to separate students and staff from an outdoor hazardous environment (e.g. natural disaster or danger in the community).  It is a temporary solution to a temporary problem.  These lock-ins will be used to keep students safe until the emergency has passed or they can be reunited with their parents.  External doors are locked and staff are placed at each external door to manage who is allowed in and out of the building.  Classes will continue normal functions within the school. 
     
    Evacuation
     
     
    Evacuation
     
    There may be emergency situations when we will need to evacuate the building.  Some evacuations may be temporary; allowing school to resume after the all-clear signal is given.  Other evacuations may require students to go home.  If the school day prematurely ends, please refer to the Student-Parent Reunification procedures.  
     
     
    There may be situations where we will need to evacuate to an alternative site.  We have identified several sites that we will use, depending on the situation.  We will disclose the location of the specific alternative site when the need for an evacuation is determined.  We will communicate the alternative site location via a message on the school's webpage (www.mcpsmt.org), Facebook and Twitter feed, district's automated communication system, local radio and television stations.  You may also contact the district office (728-2400, ext. 1023 or 1026) for more information. 
     
    Student Reunification
     
     
    Student-Parent Reunification 
     
    In the event of an emergency or disaster situation that requires the students to go home, please remember that MCPS will care for your student until a parent can pick them up, or until it is safe to transport the students to their homes by school district transportation.
     
     
    • Please note that only the parent or guardian or adults officially approved of by the parent or guardian (and on record as such at MCPS) may pick up students. 
    •  When you arrive at the designated reunification area, you will be greeted at the door and escorted to the reunification area. 
    • Give your name and your student's name to the staff member in charge of student-parent reunification.  The staff member will send a runner to get your student.  Please take your identification with you and be prepared to show it if asked by a school employee.  
    • A staff member will ask you to sign your student out before you leave to ensure we keep track of all of our students.