SCHOOL SAFETY
Student and staff safety is our number one priority in Urbana School District. Having a sense of personal safety is essential to creating a positive learning environment for our students. In USD 116, we focus on preventative measures and a comprehensive crisis response plan. We work proactively with students, staff, and local law enforcement agencies to continuously improve the safety and security of our buildings. Additionally, families play an important role in keeping our schools safe. If you are aware of an issue, please report it to the school or district.
USD 116 works in collaboration with local law enforcement to review and update crisis procedures and emergency operations plans annually. While this page provides information on broad safety plans, it should be noted that our full plan cannot be shared publicly, in order to maintain the security of our safety protocols.
Urbana schools conduct a variety of safety drills annually to prepare students and staff in the case of an emergency.
- Fire drills (3 drills annually; one involving the local fire department)
- Bus evacuation drill (1)
- Severe weather/shelter-in-place drill (1)
- Lockdown drill (1) Includes local law enforcement and must be held within 90 days of the beginning of the school year.
Urbana School District utilizes the contact information in Skyward to communicate information to families, including weather-related alerts that impact the school day and possible school closures.
It is important for families to keep their contact information in Skyward up-to-date. Depending on the situation, we will utilize any of the following modes of communication with you:
- Text message
- Phone call
We will also utilize our website, social media and local media outlets to inform our families and community. However, these methods of notification come after the initial phone call, text and email to families.
Thank you for helping us improve our ability to communicate with all families.
I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol
Urbana School District 116 has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a crisis response protocol developed by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation. The “I Love U Guys” SRP is used by over 50,000 schools, agencies, and organizations around the world.
The SRP incorporates many of the concepts we already used, but offers more clarity and consistency in terminology among schools and first responders across the county, state, and country. It is based upon five actions: HOLD, SECURE, LOCKDOWN, EVACUATE, AND SHELTER. Each has specific staff and student directives that are unique to the action.
During any of these scenarios, we ask that you do not call or go to the school. Doing so could put you or others in danger. Do not call or text your student’s cell phone. This may put them in danger. The District will communicate with you once we have more information to share. Reliable information and updates can be viewed on the District website. If further action is needed on the part of parents and guardians, the District will communicate that information with instructions through our notification system (Skyward).
Student and Parent Reunification
Events may occur at school that requires families to pick up their students in a controlled release. The process of controlled release is called a reunification and may be necessary due to weather, a power outage, a hazmat issue, or if a crisis occurs at the school.
The Urbana School District, in collaboration with the Urbana Police Department and other community partners have implemented the Standard Reunification Method, based on protocols established by the I Love U Guys Foundation.
Student and Parent Reunification is a protocol that makes this process more predictable and less chaotic for all involved. Because a controlled release is not a typical end-of-school day event, a reunification may occur at a different location than the school a student attends. If this location is another school, then those students may be subject to a controlled release as well.
Hold is used when hallways need to be kept clear of occupants. For example, an altercation in the hallway may require keeping students out of the halls until it is resolved. A medical issue may require only one area to be cleared, with halls still open in case outside medical assistance is required. During a Hold, there may be a need for students who are not in a classroom to proceed to an area where they can be supervised and remain safe.
Students are trained to:
- Clear the hallways and remain in their area or room until the “All Clear” is announced
- Business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
- Close and lock the door
- Account for students and adults
- Business as usual
Secure is followed by the Directive: “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors” and is the protocol used to safeguard people.
Secure is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building.
Students are trained to:
- Return to the inside of the building
- Business as usual
Adults and staff are trained to:
- Bring everyone indoors
- Lock the outside doors
- Increase situational awareness
- Account for students and adults
- Business as usual
Lockdown is followed by “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place.
This is followed by a directive depending on the situation, which may include “Evacuate if possible.”
Evacuate may be followed by a location, and is used to move people from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Students are trained to:
- Leave stuff behind if required to
- If possible, bring their phone
- Follow instructions
Adults and staff are trained to:
- Lead students to the Evacuation location
- Account for students and adults
- Report injuries or problems
Hazards might include:
- Tornado
- Hazmat
Safety Strategies might include:
- Evacuate to the shelter area
- Drop, cover and hold
Students are trained in:
- Appropriate drills (tornado, fire, intruder)
Adults and staff are trained in:
- Appropriate drills (fire, tornado, intruder)
- Accounting for students and adults
- Report injuries or problems