Emergency Alerts

School Closings & Emergency Alert Notifications

In the event of an emergency situation at your child’s building or a school closure due to weather, parents/guardians listed as a student’s emergency contact will be notified by a School Messenger Alert (usually via phone call and/or email from the Superintendent). Read/listen carefully to the message for specific instructions and updates. If you have not updated your emergency contact information in PowerSchool, please do so at this time or whenever your information changes. 

Unexpected school delays and/or closures will also be released to the following radio and television stations:

  • WMUS (106.9 FM) radio
  • WLCS (98.3 FM) radio
  • WSHZ (107.9 FM) radio
  • WXMI – FOX17 TV
  • WZZM – ABC 13 TV
  • WOOD – NBC 8 TV
  • WWMT – CBS 3 TV

Whenever possible, decisions to delay or cancel school will be made and communicated by approximately 6:00 am.

Parents are requested to instruct their children about emergency procedures in the event school is canceled, and should make arrangements for morning cancellation, delays and/or early dismissals. We have also put together a list of reminders for parents to consider in the event of an emergency at the school to help you be more informed and prepared.

Roads Must Stay Clear Near School

If a school is experiencing an emergency, it is vital to keep the roadways near the buildings clear for our First Responders to travel. For the safety of students and community members, it’s best not to go onto school property until notified of a parent/student reunification area from the school.  The district has a duty to secure and account for every child prior to releasing any student to parents. Accounting for every kid is critical for First Responders to be effective in their effort to save lives.

School Phone Lines Will Prioritize Communication with First Responders

Phone lines must remain clear for communication with First Responders. The Superintendent will communicate vital information via our school email/phone messaging system, social media, and website.

Keep Calm

This is probably the most important thing to remember.  Remain calm until the District releases a statement to parents on what happened along with instructions on what will be happening next. Be patient.  The District will gather facts, make decisions, and prepare accurate communication as quickly as possible. If there is a false alarm, the district will likely allow students back into the building to resume classes as normal.  

Use Caution Communicating With Your Child

Your instinct is to want to know if your child is okay.  We certainly want to assure you of your child’s safety as quickly as possible. We caution parents that calling your child may alert intruders of their location in a lockdown scenario, putting them in greater danger.  Students are instructed to remain as quiet as possible (by turning their phones to silent or off) during a “shelter in place” situation. Exchanging information with them, especially information that is incomplete or wrong could make matters worse or cause unnecessary worry.

Keep Photo ID With You

Once law enforcement clears a “lockdown”, notice will go to parents with directions.  Make sure you have proper Photo ID if picking up your child. Even if you are well-known to the staff, there may be other safety officials involved in the situation, and you should be prepared to prove your child belongs with you.

Prepare Your Child

In an age-appropriate manner, explain to your child how they are expected to behave during an emergency. Advise them to listen to their teachers and First Responders who have been trained to keep kids safe. Ask them about what they learned during emergency drills that we practice.