COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 48
March 14, 2003
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
School Crisis and Emergency Management Plans |
In light of recent national developments in the area of emergency
preparedness, I want to call your attention to Section 22.1-279.8.D of the Code
of Virginia that says: Each school
board in Virginia shall ensure that every school that it supervises shall
develop a written school crisis and emergency management plan In addition,
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,
requires school divisions that receive Title IV, Part A, funds to have a
crisis management plan for responding to violent or traumatic incidents on
school grounds. [Section
4114(d)(7)(D)]
Both directives are very clear.
Every school in Virginia must have a written crisis and emergency
management plan. It must be tailored
specifically for the school that it is designed to serve and it must not be
developed in isolation.
Specifically, I am recommending the following:
1. Ensure that separate school crisis and emergency management plans
are developed for each building.
2. Review the crisis plan to ensure that it includes updated
information related to terrorism such as biological, radiological, and chemical
attacks. Include plans for Sheltering
in Place which is defined as keeping students and staff inside the building in
a predetermined area.
3. Do not work in isolation.
Make sure that active partnerships are developed and maintained with
public safety agencies, including law enforcement, fire, rescue, health, mental
health, and local emergency managers. Planners should also include local public
service agencies such as the American Red Cross.
4. Involve and train all school staff in the design and
implementation of the plan.
5. Conduct practice drills.
Develop a calendar to continue conducting drills on a regular basis.
6. Ensure that a process is developed for communicating information
about crisis plans with parents.
On March 7, 2003, the U.S. Department of Education announced the
creation of a new section on the U.S. Department of Educations website http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan --
designed to be a one-stop shop to help school officials plan for any emergency,
including natural disasters, violence, and acts of terrorism.
In addition to the website, officials at the U.S.
Department of Education announced plans to make available $30 million in
discretionary grant funding that would provide assistance to school divisions
in improving and strengthening their emergency response and crisis management
plans. Funds could be used for training
school personnel, parents, and students in crisis response; providing
coordination with local emergency agencies, including fire and police;
purchasing equipment; and coordinating with groups and organizations
responsible for recovery issues, such as health and mental health agencies.
The U.S. Department of Education will announce the
first round of competitive grant opportunities in early spring 2003. Interested school divisions will apply
directly to the U.S. Department of Education for grants. Information will be provided on the
following website: www.ed.gov/emergencyplan. An additional $30 million is included in the
proposed FY 2004 budget.
In addition, I want to call your attention to a number of
Virginia- specific resources:
Office of
Commonwealth Preparedness http://www.commonwealthpreparedness.state.va.us/
Virginia
Department of Criminal Justice Services Virginia Center for School Safety
Virginia
Department of Education Resource Guide for Crisis Management in Virginia
Schools, 2002
www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/crisis-guide.html
Model School Crisis Management Plan, 1999
www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/model.pdf
Virginia Department of Emergency
Management
Virginia Department of Health
Virginia
Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services
More than 1.1 million students are enrolled
in Virginias public schools. The responsibility of ensuring the safety and
security of those students is of paramount importance.
Questions may be directed to Arlene Cundiff, (mailto:acundiff@mail.vak12ed.edu),
coordinator of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, at 804-225-2871.
JLD/ADC/saj