Emergency Standard Response Protocol

A uniform, planned, and practiced response to any incident is the foundation of a safe school. On November 1, 2022, the Willard Board of Education voted to approve the I Love You Guys Foundation Standard Crisis Response materials.

The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s programs for crisis response and post-crisis reunification are used in more than 30,000 schools, districts, departments, agencies, organizations and communities around the world. They are created through the research-based best practices of school administrators, psychologists, public space safety experts, families, and first responders. Implementation of this framework will help the Willard School District and its constituents be consistent with crisis response and verbiage.

At Willard Public Schools, we strive to create an environment that is safe for all students and staff. This emergency standard response protocol outlines the key elements of Willard Public Schools’ state of preparedness. We hope it will answer questions you have concerning our actions and intentions in the event of an emergency.

For consistency, we have developed the following terms to use:

Drill: An activity that covers a specific safety circumstance and is designed to prepare your student to act quickly and minimize questions and fears should an emergency take place. The state of Missouri requires fire, tornado, and other emergency drills.
SRO: School Resource Officer; a uniformed Willard Police Department officer assigned to schools to help build and maintain relationships between police, students, families, and employees.
Hold: is followed by the Directive: "In Your Room or Area" and is the protocol used when hallways need to be kept clear of occupants.
Secure: is followed by the Directive: "Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors" and is the protocol used to safeguard people within the building.
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.
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.
Shelter State the Hazard and Safety Strategy for group and self protection.
Reunification Site: Area where students and employees are transported for reunification. This location will be communicated to you at the time of an emergency.
Student Release Area: Location designated at a school or reunification site where families may pick up students. This location will be communicated to you at the time of an emergency.

Emergency Response Protocols

Before an Emergency

As soon as possible, please:

Ensure your contact information in SISK12 (Parent Portal) is current and accurate, including who is authorized to pick up your student.
- We will use this information and multiple communication channels (phone call, email, text message (if opted in)) to provide accurate and timely information in the event of an emergency.
- If necessary, we may also use our District website, district social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and local news outlets.
Explain to your student that cell phones should not be used during an emergency unless directed by an adult. Your student must pay attention to instructions from trained personnel.

During an Emergency

What you can expect if an emergency occurs:

The emergency plan will be implemented and the district/school emergency teams will respond.
All appropriate emergency response agencies will be dispatched to the school.
Depending on the situation, students and employees will be secured within the building or relocated to a Reunification Site.
Families will be kept informed on the situation with as much detail as possible/necessary. The first and official way for us to contact you in an emergency is using our automated phone calling system. This will most likely originate from the phone number 417-742-2584 (call) and text short code 60680. Please save both of these numbers in your contact list now as "Willard Public Schools." Please rely only on these official communications.
In an emergency situation, phones are needed to manage the situation and lines must remain open. Calling could also put students and employees at risk in an intruder situation.
You will not be allowed on school grounds during an emergency. Emergency personnel responding to the situation need a clear area to do their job. After emergency responders determine that a safe student release is possible, arrangements will be made to reunite students with their families. This will occur at a reunification site.
Students will not be allowed to take their property (coat, backpack, etc.) with them in an emergency.

Willard Public Schools' Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on the response to any given situation, not on individual scenarios. Our SRP demands a specific vocabulary but also allows for great flexibility. The premise is simple - these five specific actions can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a "Term of Art" and is then followed by a "Directive." Execution of the action is performed by active participants. These five actions will be communicated and performed in the event of an incident:

Hold: is followed by the Directive: "In Your Room or Area" and is the protocol used when hallways need to be kept clear of occupants.
Secure: is followed by the Directive: "Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors" and is the protocol used to safeguard people within the building.
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.
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.
Shelter State the Hazard and Safety Strategy for group and self protection.

If you would like to download materials that detail each action and your role in a given event, you may do so below.

After an Emergency

After an Emergency:

You may be directed to a reunification site, where you will need to show photo identification.
- Students will only be released to a parent, guardian, or other adult listed on the student’s SIS account. The individual picking up the student will be asked to complete show photo identification. This procedure is designed for your student’s protection and for your peace of mind.
- Please be aware that reunification can be very time-consuming, so anticipate delays. We appreciate your patience and cooperation.
It is important to remain calm, as students are greatly influenced by their family’s sense of well-being. At the same time, families need to be compassionate listeners when their student speaks of an emergency. Please seek help from the school, district, or community resources if you/your student have concerns.

Parent Resources

Standard Response Protocol Parent Handout
Reporting a Concern

Standard Response Protocol Parent Handout

Reporting a Concern

All Willard Public Schools employees, students, families, and community members are encouraged to report anything they see, hear, or are made aware of that may impact a school. If you see or hear something, say something. Call 911 or the Willard Police Department at 417-742-3077.

When providing information, please be as detailed as possible. Include the name of the school(s), person(s) involved, type of alleged activities, when they occurred/may occur.
All threats are taken seriously. Police are notified, and officers and school administrators work together to thoroughly investigate any threat—whether it is made verbally, in writing, email, text message, or online. The earlier we know about a potential threat, the earlier an investigation can begin.
Anyone who makes a threat against a school could face criminal charges. If a student is involved in making a threat, the school/district will respond as outlined in the student handbook.

WARNING: it is against policy to impersonate an official Willard Public Schools’ social media account or post false information about or from the school system under an anonymous account or alias. Depending on the nature of the post, such action may result in notification to local law enforcement. If made by an employee or student, it could result in disciplinary action.

How we respond to an emergency is greatly influenced by the specifics of an incident. Our plans do not replace the authority of emergency personnel. Our employees work in full cooperation with these agencies.

For security reasons, components of our emergency plans are not publicly available.

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