Parent/Guardian Role in an Emergency
Pickens County School District (PCSD) is committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors. We work closely with local and regional safety personnel – law enforcement, fire, medical services, emergency management, and public health – ensure that our schools are prepared for emergency situations.
PCSD has Campus Law Enforcement (CLE) officers, employed by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, that are assigned to our schools. CLE is responsible for policing school campuses, educating students and staff on safety issues, working with school administrators on safety concerns, and being a community liaison for our students.
The school’s Emergency Response Team is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day safety duties which include annual reviewing and revising the school’s emergency response plan, holding drills, monitoring video surveillance, and implementing safety and security training for staff.
But what can a parent or guardian do should there be an emergency at your child’s school?
Keep Your Contact Information Up-to-Date
The number one thing you can do to prepare for a school emergency is to provide accurate emergency contact information to your child’s school and to immediately notify the school if your information changes. You can do this yourself in the parent portal of Infinite Campus or you can contact your child’s school directly.
See Something, Say Something
Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Notify school and/or public safety officials is you see or hear of anything that could create a danger at school. We encourage you to also talk with your children so that they know to do the same thing.
Talk to Your Children
Talk to your children about the importance of following instructions in the event of an emergency. While school staff are trained to respond to various emergencies, students can take the following steps to ensure their own safety:
Follow Instructions – Instruct your child to listen carefully to teachers, school staff, or emergency personnel for instructions.
Know Emergency Procedures – Be sure your child is familiar with the emergency procedures of the school. Have discussions before and after drills to learn about these procedures.
Buddy System – Have your child stick with a buddy or a group of friends during an emergency. This can provide mutual support and ensure that no one is left behind.
Stay Away from Windows – During incidents like severe weather, lockdowns, or active intruders, be sure your child knows to stay away from windows and doors. Tell them to find a safe place and stay there until it is safe to move.
Report Suspicious Activities – Just like you, tell your child if they hear or see something that is suspicious or not right to say something.
Do Not Go or Call Your Child’s School
Calling the school during an emergency will only tie up phone lines that need to be used for emergency communication. Likewise, going to your child’s school could cause traffic delays for first responders and put you in danger. Instead, wait for the school to communicate with you.
School Communication with Parents/Guardians During Emergencies
During a crisis, you can get important information by doing one, or all of the following:
If your child’s school is affected, the district’s notification system will send out a message to the contact information that they have on file (see also Keep Your Contact Information Up-to-Date) with information and instructions.
Do NOT go to the school unless instructed. Again, it may delay emergency response by blocking critical avenues of approach.
The District’s Facebook and Instagram social media sites are a supplemental communication tool and may not be used in all emergencies. If you choose to use social media in an emergency, only use official district channels as other sources are likely not accurate.
Emergency Release of Students to Parent/Guardian
School officials want to maintain a safe an orderly environment at all times. During emergencies, special procedures are followed to help ensure student safety.
School administrators have procedures in place to help families who wish to pick up their child. Depending on emergency conditions, students may be released from a designated area to parents/guardians with proper identification.
Remember, a student can only be released to an adult who is documented as an emergency contact. You will be required to show a government issued picture ID (like a driver’s license, ID card or passport) before we will release your child.
If a parent/guardian cannot pick up their child following an emergency, they will remain under staff supervision until the parent/guardian, or authorized designee, arrives at the school or, in the event of an evacuation, designated pick up location.
Evacuation
In certain emergency situations it may be necessary to move students and staff from their school to an off-campus evacuation location. If a school is evacuated, each school has specific procedures for helping parents/guardians reunite with their child.
Due to the unpredictable nature of an emergency, the location of the evacuation site will be announced only at the time of the event. If this occurs, parents will be notified via Infinite Campus.
Know the Difference
Lockout - During a lockout, all perimeter doors will be locked, and no public access will be granted. There will be no outdoor activities and students will not be allowed to leave the building that they are in. During a lockout, students can move throughout the building.
Lockdown – A lockdown indicates a serious threat and staff will immediately take action to lock doors, turn off lights, and stay out of sight. No entry or exit will be allowed during a lockdown until the site has been cleared by first responders.