“Our schools have two primary objectives—student learning and student safety—and we take both very seriously,” said Student Services Director Rosanna Palomo, who oversees the Comprehensive Safety Plan process for the district.

This week's earthquake may have raised questions for parents about how our schools prepare for various emergency situations. We recognize that parents entrust us with their students’ safety, and want to share how we prepare for emergency situations and some of our precautionary measures.

• Each year, we update our safety plans and train our employees in the same Incident Command System (ICS) that first responders use in emergency situations to facilitate communication and decision-making.
• Staff first makes sure the students and campus are secure. If there are specific concerns or changes in student dismissal procedures,  the school or district will send information to update families and provide any instructions. (Please make sure the school has your current emergency contact information.)
• Families may also receive updates via local news outlets. Please see our Emergency Information web page for details about how we will send emergency information.
• Our facilities have physical deterrents for would-be trouble-makers, including interior locks on classroom doors, fences with locking gates, surveillance video, and other security measures.
• We maintain a QuickTip email and phone system for individuals to confidentially report bullying or suspicious activity.  https://www.privatedaddy.com/?q=bFJPS0hgbmhEYxZnd3RzVG1SWkRSUQ5xSU5OUA-3D-3D_1464/r=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2FtcGJlbGx1c2Qub3JnL25ld3Mvc2Nob29sLXNhZmV0eS0xMDI2MjAyMg-3D-3D/v=Mi4z/p=OC4yLjIx or 408-341-7171.
• Regular fire and earthquake drills, and occasional shelters-in-place, allow students to practice basic skills for following safety instructions and evacuation as necessary. 
• Our multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) includes behavioral interventions and counseling to help struggling students before their situation turns critical.
• Our district Crisis Response Team works with school-based teams to identify and intervene when students experience emotional/mental health crises.

“We care about all of our students,” Palomo said. “We have multiple layers of supports to keep them safe every day.”