Drills are one of the ways we help prepare your child for actual emergency situations and help us maintain our schools as a safe place to learn and work. We recommend you sit down with your children and take some time to go over the information and terminology included here.
We practice three main emergency drills each year:
Fire drills – Conducted once a month each month of the school year
Lockdown drills – Conducted once each semester of the school year
Shelter-in-place drills – Conducted once each semester of the school year
Campus Security Overview
Our campus doors are locked at all times.
Drop-off and pick-up policy for Discovery Link families through one secure main entrance.
All visitors must check in at the front office before and during school hours.
A Safety and Security Committee of staff and parents continually works with DPS and Denver and Aurora police departments on improvements.
For the safety of our students, we employ a health aide full time during school hours in addition to the district-supplied school nurse hours.
Please review the Emergency Procedures chart below for more information about evacuation, severe weather, delayed start, lockdown/lockout and DPS communication protocol.
What parents can do to improve safety on our campus
Please do not ask staff members, parents or students who are in the building to let you in through a locked door.
Drive below the speed limit on and around campus at all times and avoid texting of using cell phones while driving near young children on our campus.
Do not bypass visitor check-in procedures during school hours. This helps the front office keep an accurate record of who is on campus.
Remind your children that all visitors need to enter the building through the front door and students should not be letting adults into the building.
Do not park in the bus lane – this is also the fire lane – for any amount of time! Use the Kiss-n-Go lane for drop off or pick up.
How to talk to your children about school safety drills and emergency preparedness
According to psychologists, addressing the reasons for lockdowns directly but in a developmentally-appropriate way can actually make students feel safer. We compiled some general recommendations from psychologists to help guide conversations with your child.
There is a plan
Assure your child there is a plan for different types of emergencies and go over the plan with them.
An emergency is unlikely
Emphasize the unlikelihood of a bad event, as your child may not understand its low probability.
Focus on the how
While it is important to explain the “why” of a drill, it is best to focus more heavily on the “how.” Stress the steps in the drills even more than the reasons for them. Focusing the conversation on the procedural elements can help prevent worries about why a bad thing might happen.
Additional resources for how to talk to your kids about school safety drills
The National Association of School Psychologists’ offers these tips on how to talk to your child about violence prevention in schools.
This Scholastic article offers additional tips from psychologists and teachers on how to talk to your child about safety drills in an age-appropriate way.
Emergency Procedures
For information contact the DPS Communications Office at 720-423-3414.
Any weather-related schedule changes will be posted on the DPS website.
Weather related school closures are announced on radio stations KOA 850, KMXA 1090, KCUV 1150, and KJMN 92.1 FM.
Evacuation
The most common evacuation is a Fire Drill.
All students and staff will exit the school and go to a designated location.
Everyone will remain outside until the “all clear” message is given.
If we need to leave school grounds, we will go by bus or walk to our designated offsite evacuation locations:
Denver Police Academy, 2155 North Akron Way, Denver, CO 80238
UberGrippen Climbing Facility, 8610 E. 21st, Denver, CO 80238
Information will be available through the DPS Communications Office
Students will be released to parents or guardians who are listed on the emergency card and have proper ID.
Severe Weather Procedures
Tornado Watch – Monitor the weather
Tornado Warning
All staff and students go to classrooms. Outside activities brought inside
Students will shelter-in-place if needed
Do not come to the school as danger is in the school area
We will not dismiss until danger is over
Lightning in the Area
Outside activities brought inside
We will not dismiss
Snow
Watch local TV stations to see if DPS is closed. If so, please do not send your children to school.
Visit the DPS website
Activities may be cancelled
Lockout and Lockdown
Lockdown – We will lockdown if danger inside our building or neighborhood threatens students.
All exterior doors will be locked
All interior doors will be locked
No one may enter or leave. No exceptions!
No dismissal until situation is over
Watch the news or the DPS website for the latest information.
Do not call the school.
A sign will be posted in door windows stating we are in lockdown.
Lockout – We will lockout if danger is outside our building or neighborhood that threatens students.
All exterior doors will be locked
No one may enter or leave. No exceptions!
No dismissal until situation is over
Watch the news or the DPS website for the latest information.
Do not call the school.
A sign will be posted in door windows stating we are in lockout.
