Chico Unified School District

Safe Schools

As part of normal operations of the school district, all campuses have comprehensive, up-to-date safety plans in place to address a variety of emergency conditions such as fire, earthquake, sheltering, and evacuation. The plans are reinforced through drills with students and at regular meetings with our employees. (See Safe School Plans below.)

In any emergency situation, specific response strategies will depend on the nature and scope of the incident and prevailing conditions. In most incidents, public safety and emergency management personnel will play a critical role in identifying the specific nature, cause, and extent of the emergency, as well as providing guidance to administrators on the response steps that must be carried out.

Your children are surrounded daily by professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping their students; in the event of an emergency, you can count on these caring individuals to keep your children secure. All employees in the CUSD continue to work to make all our schools safe and secure environments.

If you have questions about your child's safety and school support responses, please contact your principal. Your understanding, support, and cooperation are vital as we take these precautionary actions on behalf of our students.

Overview

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The Chico Unified School District takes proactive measures to protect the safety of all our students and staff members. Chico Unified School District representatives work in close collaboration with local, state, and federal health, safety, and emergency personnel to develop and maintain plans for coping with a variety of emergency response situations. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated. School system personnel practice these drills on a regular basis. Actions taken during any type of emergency situation depend a great deal on the specifics of the incident. For example, one of three things may occur for students and families:
1) Students may be dismissed on an early dismissal schedule;
2) Schools may experience a Code Red lockdown. In a Code Red lockdown, classes may continue with all outside activities discontinued; all doors/windows locked and individual classrooms secured; or
3) Schools may experience a shelter in place for students.

A shelter in place is a short-term measure used to temporarily separate people from a hazardous outdoor environment and school staff is prepared to maintain as safe and normal an environment as possible within the school.

If an incident occurs at a school, we ask that parents not go directly to the school. School staff is prepared to maintain as safe and normal an environment as possible within the school. School is not automatically cancelled in emergency situations. Indeed, school may be the safest place for children to be during some emergency conditions.

In times of emergency, a variety of local media will be used to provide information. Parents should tune into local major radio and television stations, call the district office at (530) 891-3000, ext. 911 or visit the district website for emergency updates.

Students will not be released to parents if public safety officials have declared it is dangerous for parents to travel to the school to pick up students or the lives of persons in the school would be jeopardized in opening the outside school doors or the school is otherwise restricted by those officials. Students will be released to parents as soon as officials have determined it is safe. When students are released they will be released to parents or other individuals listed on the student's emergency form only. No student will be released to any individual who is not specifically listed on the emergency form including an older sibling. All adults must show photo ID when picking up a student. Parents can help by giving the most accurate, up-to-date health and emergency information to the school office.

If you have questions about your child or about your school's safety and support responses, please contact your principal.

2022-2023 Safe Schools Plans