LAURENS COUNTY SCHOOL DIST. 56

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LAURENS COUNTY SCHOOL DIST. 56

• OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

By PresenterMedia.com
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Parent / Student Reunification Process
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RESPONSE
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Parent/Student Reunification

• Participants will understand the policies for
  student release in an emergency
• Participants will be able to apply the procedures
  for releasing students
• Participants will identify locations for parent
  check-in and release gates
• Participants will list supplies and forms
  necessary to successfully reunite parents with
  students

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Incident Command System
Student Care
Student/Parent Reunification
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Moral and Legal Responsibilities

• On a daily basis, parents entrust schools with
  the safety, health and well-being of their
  children. Once a student steps on campus or a
  bus, the school is morally and legally
  responsible for that child until they are picked
  up by a parent or returned home by bus.
• This responsibility remains, even when disaster
  strikes and circumstances require schools to keep
  students beyond the normal school day.

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Imagine the Nightmare
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What Do You Think...

• The students are feeling?
• The parents are feeling?
• The parent/student reunion team members are
  feeling?

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Parent / Student Reunification Process
Parent
Parent Student
Check-In Gate
Release Gate
Parent
Runner
Off Limits Area
Off Limits Area
Off Limits Area
Runner
Runner Student
Student Care Area
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Reducing the Stress Before The Emergency

• District, Parents, and Students
• - Have student release forms up to date and on
  hand
• Teach parents and students the policies and
  procedures for releasing students.
• Help parents understand what to expect on the
  day of the emergency
• Involve parents and students in practice drills
• Have copies of the policies and procedures
  pre-printed to give to parents while waiting to
  reunite with their child.

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Before The Disaster

• Know your parent/student population
• How many students live within walking distance to
  the school?
• How many families have an adult at home during
  the day?
• How fast will they arrive?
• This might be a good resource for volunteers,
  provided you identify and train them before the
  event.

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Before the Disaster

• Identify the team leaders for the student care
  team Identify the supplies necessary to
  effectively do you job
• Provide training for the team members and student
  runners

• File forms by alphabetical order in a portable
  box
• Identify the members of the student/parent
  reunion team
• Identify a group of students to train as runners
  for the reunion process
• Identify the location of the check-in gate and
  the reunion gate

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Before the Disaster

• Example
• 1. Talk through the procedures
• 2. Practice releasing students from classrooms
• 3. Invite a small group of parents to assist
  with a practice drill at the end of a school day
• 4. Practice procedures as part of an all school
  drill.

• Create a plan for team members to practice the
  procedures.
• Start with little or no stress exercises and work
  toward involving the team in an all school drill.
  

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During The Event

• Follow the schools emergency procedures for
  safety and accountability.
• After students are accounted for, team members
  hand off their class to their buddy teacher and
  report to their assigned areas for deployment
• When deployed, report to office to get supplies
  and equipment.
• Begin releasing students according to school
  policies and procedures.

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Knowledge can reduce stress!

• What are some ways you can inform the parents
  that are waiting to be reunited with their
  children about the status of the school and the
  procedures for releasing their children?
• AlertNow
• eAlerts
• District Website
• Radio/TV
• Social Media

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Parent/Student Reunification Procedures

• -At the beginning of school, have parents
  complete the Parent/Child reunification Form
• -At the beginning of school, complete the top
  portion of the student runner form and staple it
  to the disaster release form. Keep these forms in
  a portable box to be used at the parent check-in
  gate.

-Parents report to Parent Check-In
location -Parent requests student to be released
and show Identification -Staff checks ID and
completes Student Emergency Release form -Staff
files it alphabetically
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Student Release Forms
Yearly Updated Release Form Emergency Release
Form
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Activity

• Objectives
• Participants are able to practice the procedures
  of parent/student reunion
• Supplies
• Disaster Release Form and Student Runner Forms
  completed for each bear
• Signs check-in and release tables
• Basic office supplies (pens, pencils, clipboards,
  stapler)

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Parent / Student Reunification Process
Parent
Parent Student
Check-In Gate
Release Gate
Parent
Runner
Off Limits Area
Off Limits Area
Off Limits Area
Runner
Runner Student
Student Care Area
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Activity (contd)

• Procedures
• Select volunteers to be reunion gate staff,
  check-in gate staff, runners, and student care
  staff.
• Practice the procedures as outlined in the job
  description.

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Wrapping it Up

• Parent/student reunion is a vital component of
  the school disaster plan.
• Parent, students, and staff need to be informed
  of the procedures prior to the disaster
• The Parent/student reunion team needs several
  opportunities to practice the procedures prior to
  a real event.
• School District have a legal obligation to
  safeguard their students

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IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN YOU PLAN TO FAIL