Here are a few things you can do today to help you feel more prepared in the event that an emergency strikes:

Get Informed: Learn about Big Lake emergency and safety procedures, and trust in the plans. Each situation is unique, but the planning, practice, and tools provided to staff and students are designed to keep Big Lake Schools safe.

Make sure you are set up for communication from your child's school: Make sure your contact information is always up to date with the staff in the main office at your child's school. This is how we will get ahold of families if there is ever an emergency situation at a school. In order to receive emergency notifications via phone or text, you must opt-in. To learn how to opt-in or change contact information, click here.

Update Emergency Contact Information/Inform Emergency Contacts: In the event of a serious emergency, all emergency contacts will be called. Please make sure the emergency contacts you have listed for your child are up to date, they understand the District's procedures, and they know they are listed as an emergency contact. To learn how to change emergency contact information, click here.

Create space for your kids to talk to you about their experience in drills: Emergency drills can be a lot to process, especially for a child. On days the school has an emergency drill, be available to talk to your child. In these conversations:

• Remain calm.
• Acknowledge your child's feelings. 
• Share your feelings.
• Breathe with them.
• Ask questions. Questions such as "How was that for you?" and  "What were you feeling?" can help them reflect and debrief.
• Answer your child’s questions. If you don’t have an answer, let them know you’ll find an answer for them. Don't be afraid to reach out to your school administration with any questions you may have. 
• Thank your child(ren) for sharing their feelings with you. Breath with them. Let them know you are always available to support them.

These tips were adapted from Conscious Discipline. Reference materials can be found here and here.

Stay calm and alert: Please remain calm and know that school staff, district personnel, and school and city police are working to keep your child safe. Keep your phone close, and follow the directions provided by the district. The district may alert you to visit the district website, pay attention to our Facebook page, or tune in to local media outlets, depending on the situation. Please know that the news will not always report accurate information.

DO NOT come to school: We understand your desire to go to the school and see your child, especially in a scary situation. However, arriving at the scene before it is secure can interfere with the emergency response and put you in danger. By rushing to the school, parents can unintentionally create traffic jams that may block emergency responders from getting to the school or leaving if necessary to transport injured students or staff to emergency medical facilities. Families should wait to pick up their students until given directions to do so from the district.

DO NOT call the school: We ask that families do not call the school, so phone lines can stay open for communication with emergency personnel and school officials. The school and district will make sure you are updated as soon as possible. In emergencies, the main priority of school staff is to remain focused on the safety of students.

DO keep your child calm if your child texts or calls you:  We know that during a school emergency many of our students will try to call or text their parent(s) or guardian(s). If this occurs, we ask that you stay calm and reassuring. Encourage your student to follow the directions of school staff. To prevent confusion or added safety risks, ask them to turn off their cell phone and refrain from using social media.

DO be prepared with a photo ID (needed for reunification): In the event of an evacuation, Big Lake Schools will follow a standard reunification plan to ensure all students are safely returned to their families. During a reunification, you must bring a photo ID. Only families and/or individuals listed as an authorized person to pick up your child may do so.

See the "General Reunification Procedures" tab below for more information.

These tips were adapted from Conscious Discipline. Reference materials can be found here and here.

In case we ever need to evacuate the school for any reason, we have a process in place to reunite students with their families.

During a reunification, families and/or individuals listed as an authorized person to pick up your child should do the following:

• Bring valid form of identification (ID).

• Follow signage and parking directions of the designated reunification location.

• Complete the provided reunification form.

• Choose the check-in line that corresponds to your student's grade.

• Provide school personnel at the check-in table with a valid form of photo ID and the completed reunification form.

• Wait patiently as a district staff member retrieves and escorts your student to you.

Please note that only approved adults with valid photo identification will be allowed to pick up students from the evacuation location.

The school and district will ensure information is shared via our phone messaging system. If a student is injured, the families of those children will be notified directly.