Safety

The North Scott Community School District utilizes a set of standardized actions to ensure a clear and rapid response to any threat or hazard. These protocols are based on common emergency management systems, and guidelines from the I Love You Guys Foundation.

Core Directions

Hold: "In your room or area."

Secure: "Get inside, Lock outside door."

Lockdown: "Locks, Lights, Out of sight."

Evacuate: A Location may be specified.

Shelter: State the hazard and the safety strategy.

Caregiver FAQs

How will I be notified?

The North Scott School District's communication protocols are designed to comply with the requirements of Iowa Code § 280.28, which mandates that school safety plans include protocols for communicating with parents. The primary goal during any incident is to ensure student and staff safety first; therefore, the timing and detail of communication are dependent on the severity of the event and the need to prioritize law enforcement and emergency operations.

Our first message will be sent as soon as safely possible via text and email. We may not be able to share all of the details of an event at that time.
Within one hour, or as soon as safely possible, another message will be sent via text and email.
An all-clear message with further instructions will be sent when law enforcement or district administration has determined it is safe to do so.
Further follow-ups, including a reunification message with specific instructions on where and when to arrive to be reunified with your student(s), will be sent via email and text when it has been determined necessary.

What is expected from me?

Do remain where you are, be patient, and wait for credible information.

During this initial phase, parents are strongly advised to adhere to the following guidelines to protect student safety and assist first responders:

Do not call your child’s cell phone. Depending on the situation, a phone call could impact the safety of our students and staff.
Do not rush to the school: Approaching the school campus can create an unsafe situation. Unauthorized vehicles can block access for emergency vehicles, fire trucks, and law enforcement, which delays critical response operations.

Do not call the school: The school lines must remain open for emergency management, first responders, and coordinating safety logistics. Calling the school ties up vital communication channels.

Monitor official communication channels: Stay tuned to your phone for text messages, emails, broadcast voice calls, or official social media updates from the district. This is how official location data and specific pickup instructions will be distributed once the reunification site is secure.

Prepare your identification: While waiting, locate your government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license). You will be required to present this at the reunification check-in area to verify custody before your child can be released to you.

How does the process work?

When an emergency occurs, schools first execute the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to secure students before evacuating them to a designated off-site reunification location. At the site, parents check in by presenting a valid photo ID and completing a reunification card to confirm custody authorization. Once verified, school staff retrieve the student from a secure holding area and complete a documented checkout for a safe release.

What are Reunification Cards?

An "I Love U Guys" Reunification Card is a vital tool used by schools to safely and accountably return students to their parents or guardians following an emergency or evacuation. Developed by The "I Love U Guys" Foundation as part of their Standard Reunification Method (SRM), this physical, perforated card streamlines the process of verifying a guardian's identity and matching them with the correct child.

What if I have more questions? Who can I talk to?

If you have questions about emergency procedures, reunification plans, or safety drills, several key contacts at both the local and foundation level can help:

Your Child’s School Principal or Main Office: This is your best first stop. They can explain site-specific emergency plans, local drill schedules, and how your specific campus executes reunification.
District Director of Safety & Security: Please contact Aaron Schwarz, Associate Principal, NSHS.
School Resource Officer (SRO) or Law Enforcement Liaison: Officer Garrett Jahns, City of Eldridge Police Department.
The "I Love U Guys" Foundation: For general inquiries about the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) or Standard Reunification Method (SRM) programs, educational materials, or training, you can reach out directly through the "I Love U Guys" website for more information.

I Love U Guys Foundation

Standard Response Protocol (SRP)

A uniform, planned, and practiced response to any incident is the foundation of a safe school. SRP is action-based, flexible, and easy to learn. It rationally organizes tactics for response to weather events, fires, accidents, intruders, and other threats to personal safety.

Standard Reunification Method (SRM)

The SRM provides school and district safety teams with proven methods for planning, practicing, and achieving a successful reunification.

Leadership Roles in an Emergency

If Joe Stutting is not available to perform his superintendent duties, the following list is the order in which succession will take place:

Heather Shults - Director of Student Services
Chad Jones - Junior High Principal
Tim Green - Neil Armstrong Elementary Principal

Say Something

Say Something allows students and staff to safely and anonymously share their concerns to school administration and law enforcement. Say Something by Sandy Hook Promise is not simply a mailbox for anonymous tips. It allows administration and law enforcement to communicate with the reporter anonymously back-and-forth in real-time to coordinate and maximize investigations, making sure nothing slips through the cracks.

We must work together to keep everyone safe, and that means that if we see or hear something concerning, we ALL have a responsibility to report. Our school has a variety of methods to report potentially harmful or dangerous situations. If students are uncomfortable reporting face-to-face or via email, they are encouraged to make a report in our anonymous reporting system, "Say Something". It is important that any student using "Say Something" is as specific as possible and logs back in to check for follow-up questions from the administrators and/or police receiving the report. Say Something has an app available in the "Student Links" folder in each student's Chrome toolbar, and can be found online here.

ALICE

The goal of the A.L.I.C.E. program is to empower the students to become knowledgeable and capable of making good survival decisions in critical incidents. Students are trained throughout the year in survival techniques in the unlikely case of an active shooter in the building. A.L.I.C.E stands for alert, lock-down, inform, counter, and evacuate. By creating concepts, we create a mindset that allows individuals to think for themselves and make decisions on what is best for them, in this situation, and in this moment. For more information about the A.L.I.C.E. program go to North Scott Community School District A.L.I.C.E information, or contact the school.

Assault/Fighting/Violence/Threats of Violence in School

Disputes between students should be resolved through the proper channels. If students require assistance in resolving issues or sense a threat from another person they should contact a staff member. Students are not to respond to aggression with aggression.
Incidents involving violence may result in disciplinary action such as detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, a recommendation for expulsion, restorative practices, referral to counseling/anger management services, etc.
This policy will also apply to those students who encourage, entice, or promote violence among students.

Picking Up Students In Crisis Situations

The following procedures are to be used by caregivers to pick up students from school or an off-campus evacuation site should a crisis arise. For more information, please see FAQ's above.

During Normal School Hours: Only persons identified as legal guardians or emergency contacts may pick up students in a crisis. A photo ID is required for emergency pickup. Caregivers should check for district texts, emails, and/or phone calls for instructions regarding picking up their student(s).
After Normal School Hours: All school-related participants (attendance is expected by the school, i.e., singing in a choir concert, playing for the team, performing with the band, etc., not including spectators) must report to the individual(s) responsible for the event being attended. In most situations, this will be a teacher, coach, or activity sponsor. Students will be released as explained above, and the time and date will be noted.

Emergency Safety Drills

Informed Fire and Tornado Drills

The informed fire alarm, the intercom, and the bell system are used for emergency drills and/or when actual conditions arise. Each area of the building has signs with proper evacuation procedures for fire (if evacuation is warranted following the Informed Fire Procedure) and the safe shelter areas to be used for tornado emergencies.