Chico Unified School District - Lockdown Protocol

Caution and Action Alert Protocols

Chico Unified School District has adopted an emergency response system to help keep students and staff safe during an emergency. Our district partners with law enforcement and maintains an active District Incident Response Team. Students and staff at every school receive training. Drills are conducted throughout the school year.

School safety continues evolving, and Chico Unified School District is using updated terminology to reflect current K-12 safety standards. School safety teams utilize the terms, "Caution Alert" or "Action Alert" to inform students and staff about any safety instructions on campus.

What's the Difference?

Caution Alert

Caution Alerts may be issued when there is a potential impact on a school campus, students or staff. Some examples when a Caution Alert may be issued include:

an off-site car accident that may cause traffic delays.
an unsafe tree on or near school.
a street closure.
an emergency in the surrounding area.

Action Alerts

Most Action Alerts within Chico Unified result from a precautionary request from the Chico Police Department (Secure), or out of respect for student privacy issues on campus. Situations for a Hold may include a medical emergency or as outlined by Student Support Services protocols (Hold).

Note: The Hold and Secure precautionary lockdowns are often brief, and instruction continues in the classroom. Classroom learning will still occur, but students may not be able to change classes or leave campus until after the Hold or Secure has been lifted.

Chico Unified utilizes four main Action Alerts:

We Can All Help Keep Our Schools Safe

STUDENT/COMMUNITY REPORT – Students, parents and community members can submit safety concerns or report hazardous situations via phone, text or online. Dial or text 844-530-2002.

INCIDENT REPORT– Staff can report incidents via our Catapult EMS system. Incidents are immediately sent to the school's Site Safety Team and the CUSD Incident Response Team via text notification.

CUSD HOLD – As a precaution, students and staff are asked to remain in their classrooms to keep the hallways empty. Classroom learning continues throughout the Hold.

POLICE INITIATED SECURE – As a precaution, students and staff are asked to remain in their classrooms to keep the hallways empty. Classroom learning continues throughout the Secure. The Chico Police Department often issues Code Yellows Lockdowns for events or incidents off campus.

LOCKDOWN/BARRICADE – Lockdowns are initiated when a threat or hazard is inside the school campus or facility. Lockdowns/Barricades require locking interior doors, moving occupants out of the line of sight of corridor windows, turning off lights to make the room seem unoccupied, and having occupants maintain silence. Learning Activities do not occur during a Lockdown/Barricade*.

* All CUSD staff and secondary students (grades 9-12) will be trained to self-evacuate (run), hide or fight. In an emergency, if your secondary student contacts you to inform you they safely self-evacuated, please contact the report line via text or phone at 844-530-2002.

Major Emergency Information

Chico Unified School District maintains an active District Incident Response Team (DIRT). In a major emergency situation (flooding, fire, intruder, earthquake or another natural disaster) the DIRT Team will be mobilized, and an information resource will be provided on the Chico Unified website. Emergency preparations are in place, and if students need to be removed from campus due to safety concerns, a reunification site will be provided to parents through our district-wide communication system and our website.

Ask Questions

Safety discussions are an essential component of our educational system. We encourage parents with questions to schedule a meeting with their school Principal to discuss any safety concerns or protocols. School safety and security are the result of being prepared, and we welcome parent and community communication.