FILE:  EBBCA

Cf:  EBBB, EBBC, JCDAF

CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

The West Baton Rouge Parish School Board is committed to ensuring a safe environment for students and staff.  The existence of both a crisis response plan and crisis response team are imperative to a school system and to individual schools.  A crisis response plan should include prevention, intervention and postvention components.  The individual school crisis response team must be trained and ready to respond to a crisis situation.  Furthermore, the crisis response team must respond to the safety and emotional needs of the students and staff members that might be affected by the crisis incident.

For the purpose of this policy, a crisis is considered to be any incident which may potentially result in harm or injury to students and/or staff and jeopardize the stability of the school environment.

The components of the West Baton Rouge Parish Crisis Response Plan are:

1. Prevention

2. Parish and School Building Level Crisis Response Plans
   
   

3. Postvention and Planning for the Future

The individual school's crisis response plan shall include the following components:

Assessment of the situation and determining the source of the incident

Notification of the proper authorities

Mobilization of the school crisis response team

Establishment of a command center

Containment of the incident

Removal of non-participating students and staff to safety

Ensuring access to the campus for outside agencies

Internal communication system and communication releases to press and family

Closure to the crisis situation

Evaluation of the effectiveness of plan

Each school shall have a crisis response team which is comprised of designated, trained, school-site-based staff members who are able to effectively assess crisis situations and take appropriate actions.

VIOLENCE CRISIS RESPONSE CODES FOR WBR SCHOOLS

ARMED INTRUDER, HOSTAGE SITUATION - CODE RED

Assess the situation

Announce CODE RED/LOCATION

Call 911, Superintendent, notify SBL crisis response team

Divide responsibilities among team members

Establish command post

Secure all entrances and exits

Key considerations:

Do not confront intruder

Clear students from hall

The safety of students and staff is the number one priority.  Whenever possible remain in the building and secure incident area.

BOMBING DEVICE FOUND - CODE YELLOW

When a call is received by the school that a bomb has been left on the school grounds the person receiving the call should attempt to gather as much information from the caller as possible (utilizing the Bomb Threat Checklist).  The principal should call 911 and the Superintendent.

The fire alarm should be sounded and students should leave the building.  Students and staff should report to the designated sites away from the building.  Teachers should take roll to account for all students.

If during the search of the building and perimeter a bombing device or suspicious object is located:

CODE YELLOW/LOCATION should be announced

The evacuation of all students is to begin immediately

While waiting for the buses to arrive all students should be moved to predetermined locations away from the bombing device.

Outside agencies become the lead agencies once the bombing device is found.

The Superintendent/designee will notify the coordinator of transportation of the need to evacuate.

GANG ACTIVITY - CODE BLUE

Responses by school personnel shall include the following:

Assess the situation.

Announce CODE BLUE/LOCATION.

Call 911 and the Superintendent.

Assemble SBL crisis response team.

Clear the area where the incident is taking place and contain students in classrooms during incident.

Turn off all bells until the incident is contained or resolved.

Key consideration:  A member of the crisis response team should maintain surveillance of the parking lot area.

INCIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY - CODE BROWN

(Violent incident, such as shooting, gang activity, etc. in close proximity to the school)

Responses by school personnel shall include the following:

Assess the situation

Announce CODE BROWN/LOCATION.

Call 911 and Superintendent.

Assemble SBL crisis response team.

Establish command post.

Turn off bells until the all clear code is given.

All students should remain in the classroom unless imminent danger dictates other wise.  All doors are to be locked and blinds/shades drawn.  The emphasis in this situation is to have the students out of sight and avoid the movement of the incident onto the school grounds.

The coordination of the evacuation of students, if necessary, should be conducted with the lead outside agency.

Do not confront individuals involved in the incident.

RELEASING INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA

In the event of a school related crisis situation, the school system must be prepared to respond to the media (television, radio, newspaper, etc.).  To ensure unity and clarity, as well as accountability in releasing information, the West Baton Rouge Parish School System policy mandates that all statements come from the Superintendent or designee.

All staff members are cautioned to maintain confidentiality and to refrain from public statements regarding the nature of the situation.  Until the Superintendent or a designee is prepared to release a statement a predetermined member of the crisis response team should answer questions with the following statement, "There has been an incident on campus that has resulted in the implementation of our crisis response plan.  Appropriate authorities have been called and they are on their way to school as we speak, or, and are here assessing the situation.  The Superintendent will meet with you shortly to update you on the incident.  There can be no further questions at this time."

Recoded from EBBB:  November 28, 2018

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81

Board minutes, 3-17-99, 11-28-18

West Baton Rouge Parish School Board