What If There Is an Emergency?
The Chula Vista Elementary School District has emergency procedures to be followed in the event of an earthquake, fire, or other crisis. Staff members are pre-assigned to school Emergency Response Teams and have specific duties during an emergency. The pro-active actions of individuals during an emergency may save another's life.
Disaster Preparedness
The Chula Vista Elementary School District has identified four major hazards that affect our geographic area: earthquake, flood, wildfire, and tsunami. Procedures to be followed in the event of an earthquake or other emergencies are practiced at least four times a year. School bus safe riding practices and bus evacuation drills are held annually. Child Nutrition Services personnel are prepared to operate the cafeterias as directed if it is necessary to feed children during an emergency.
School staff members will remain on duty until all children have been safely checked out by a parent, guardian, family member, neighbor, or childcare personnel designated on your child's school emergency card as being responsible for your child in case of an emergency. It is very important that you keep the information on your child's school emergency card up to date. Your child will not be released to persons other than those listed on the emergency or disaster card. Learn more about crisis and disaster response via Ready.Gov or see our Community Resources page linked below.
School Safety: It's Everyone's Responsibility
Statistics indicate that schools are the safest places for children; however, in light of recent incidents nationally, we continue to refine and enhance our best strategies to ensure the well-being of all students and staff members. Together, with our police and neighboring school district partners, we continually assess and improve our safety procedures. Multiple measures have been taken to protect the safety and well-being of our students and staff which include, but are not limited to:
- Our students and staff engage in monthly evacuation (fire) drills, as well as lockdown, secure campus, shelter-in-place, and bus evacuation drills. This is in addition to table-top exercises and conversations that our staff participate in during staff meetings.
- We use drills, exercises and real incidents as teachable moments, talking to students about important topics such as, the importance of listening to adults, remaining calm, and reporting unsafe or unsettling behaviors.
- School Safety Committees/School Site Councils review and update each site's Comprehensive School Safety Plan each year. An increasing part of every school's emergency readiness plan includes training for when a school is placed in a "lockdown." We welcome your thoughts on school safety. Let us know how we're doing by clicking on the Let's Talk button.
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