During the school year there will be instances in which safety procedures will be implemented to ensure student safety.

In most cases these measures are precautionary, and it’s important for everyone to understand basic protocols for different situations. In the event of an emergency or disaster while school is in session, law enforcement (whether Granite School District Police or another agency) may prescribe these practices:

Soft Lockdown
A school is placed on a soft lockdown when there is an indirect threat or hazard in the neighborhood area near the school. During a soft lockdown, exterior doors are locked and no one is allowed to come inside or leave the building. School proceeds as normal inside the building during a soft lockdown.

Hard Lockdown
A hard lockdown is called when there is a threat to student safety on school premises. This procedure calls for all classroom doors to be locked, lights turned off, and for students and staff to move away from sight. Teachers will not open their doors during a hard lockdown. First responders will unlock and open classroom doors after the situation is resolved.

Evacuation
There may be times when emergency personnel will direct a school to evacuate to a safe location. All teachers, substitutes and staff are trained on proper evacuation procedures and know the assigned evacuation areas at their school.

For security reasons, we do not give out details of what procedures are followed in every crisis situation. However, Granite School District regularly reviews emergency procedures to stay prepared for emergency situations.

Communication

As student safety is our primary concern, no information about an incident will be distributed until we can guarantee that every student is safe and all information is accurate.

In the event of a lockdown or evacuation, phone messages are sent out to parents explaining the situation. The school district may also post information on social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter.

By and large, you will be notified if a lockdown protocol is issued, even if the duration is minimal. This communication may come after a lockdown protocol has been issued and lifted.

You can help with the following:

• Make sure your contact information is up to date with your school. Automated messaging systems pull contact information provided by parents and students.
• Follow Granite School District’s and your school’s social media accounts. We will update patrons about a situation as soon as we have information we can share. Because automated messages take time to record and disseminate, our social media pages are usually the quickest information sources.
• Do not go to your child’s school unless directed. Police will restrict access to a school during a lockdown.
• Do not call the school unless directed. Staff members typically are not permitted to give out information during a crisis. Calling the school may tie up phone lines and take away resources that may be needed to deal with an emergency.
• Stay informed, but do not place your child in unnecessary danger. Especially in a hard lockdown protocol, law enforcement ask that parents do not call or text their child’s phone. This may put them in danger, and may also distract them from following directions given to them on the ground.
• Keep in mind that we will communicate with you as quickly as possible.