ALICE Safety Protocol
ALICE SAFETY & SECURITY MEASURES
Student safety will always be the first priority of the Lawrence Public Schools. It is important to maintain open lines of communication between home and school. Sharing information serves as the best prevention measure for school safety issues. If you see something, say something! Please contact the school and encourage your student to tell an adult at school about any safety concerns.The district’s crisis plans include ALICE strategies for us in the event of an intruder. The ALICE acronym stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. ALICE uses technology and age-appropriate information and training to prepare staff and students to make informed decisions in a crisis to keep themselves and others safe from harm.
Among the organizations endorsing ALICE are the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Secret Service, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Center for Safe and Prepared Schools.
ALICE means:
ALERT – Use clear and concise language to convey specifics about the safety threat.
LOCKDOWN – Shelter in place in a secure area, locking the door, and barricading entry.
INFORM – Continue to convey information about the type and location of the threat.
COUNTER – Apply learned skills to distract and confuse an intruder.
EVACUATE – Run away from the building to a designated rally point or other safe location.
The district provides ALICE training for all employees. Schools practice ALICE drills regularly, just as they do fire and tornado drills. Training and practice drills include scenarios affecting different parts of the building during different times of the day. Staff and students will discuss possible alerts that may be heard during a crisis, and how to barricade entrances, evade an intruder, locate the closest exits, and evacuate to safe locations.
The district will instruct students that when an alert is given, no matter where they are in a building, they should find a safe place to lockdown and barricade or evacuate. Since private vehicle use can cause traffic jams and delay the arrival of first responders needed on campus as soon as possible for public safety, staff will instruct students who drive to school to evacuate by running from the building.
ALICE instruction is age-appropriate, including the use of a storybook for younger students. We know that younger students need frequent reminders of safe practices in order to make good decisions related to their personal safety. The district asks that families assist us by reinforcing with children good personal safety habits, including listening and following directions and knowing and understanding the different safety drills practiced at school.
Lawrence Public Schools will continue to practice, evaluate, and improve emergency procedures.