802 Policy: Crisis Management Policy

I. INTRODUCTION

This policy is pursuant to Minn. Statute § 121A.035, which requires school boards to adopt a Crisis Management Policy.  

II. PURPOSE

Policy 802 and the Crisis Management Procedures are intended to serve as a guide for school district and building administrators, school employees, students and community, and are designed to address a wide range of potential crisis situations.   

III. THE PLAN

This policy is to be used when developing a building-specific Crisis Management Plan to coordinate protective actions prior to, during, and after any emergency or potential crisis situation.  The District Crisis Management Committee (DCMC) shall be responsible for developing and annually updating Crisis Management Procedures to accommodate the district’s needs. The DCMC works in conjunction with district and building site personnel to update site specific procedures, connect with and update committee resources, and to train staff. 

IV. ELEMENTS OF A SCHOOL'S CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

The District Crisis Management Committee shall develop district-wide and building-specific Crisis Management Procedures that shall include A) District Crisis Protocols, B) Crisis Response, and C) Postvention Response.  

The school’s plan shall be created in consultation with local community response agencies and other appropriate individuals and groups likely to be involved in assisting with a school emergency.  

A. District Crisis Protocols 

The Crisis Management Procedures shall include:

1. Communication Procedures

2. Evacuation Procedures

3. Sheltering/Lockdown Procedures

These elements will include both district wide and building specific procedures.

1. Communication Procedures

Information about emergencies must be communicated to the Superintendent’s Office immediately. All media inquiries will be referred to the Superintendent’s Office. The school district, in coordination with assisting agencies, assumes responsibility for issuing public statements during an emergency.

School Closure Procedures – The superintendent shall make decisions about closing a school or any school district building. Such decisions will be made as early in the day as possible using news sources, websites, and an automated messaging system. 

2.  Evacuation Procedures 

Evacuation procedures are used when conditions are safer outside the building than inside the building. Evacuation routes should be specified according to the type of emergency.

These crisis management procedures include:

Fire

Hazardous Materials

Bomb Threats

Student Relocation/Reunification

3. Sheltering/Lockdown Procedures

Sheltering-in-place is used when evacuation would put people at risk. Sheltering-in-place provides refuge for students, staff and the public inside the school building during emergencies. 

Lockdown procedures are used to protect building occupants from potential dangers in the building or external threats that may enter the building.

These crisis management procedures include:

Severe Weather 

Demonstrations

Intruder/Hostage

Shooting

Weapons 

B. Crisis Response 

Crisis-specific procedures shall consider the potential crisis situations that may occur during the school day or at school-sponsored events and functions.  

These are district-wide procedures designed so that school administrators can tailor response procedures when creating building-specific Crisis Management Procedures.

The crisis management procedures include:

Abduction

Assault/Sexual Assault

Bus Accidents

Communicable Diseases/Pandemic

Death

Fights/Disturbances

Medical Emergencies

Suicide Threat/Attempt

Suspicious Package/Mail – Chemical/Biological Threat

Terrorism

Threats

C. Postvention Response 

The Postvention Manual outlines steps to debrief, provide support and reduce additional risk in the situation of a crisis response.

D. Facility Diagrams and Site Plans

The District Crisis Management Committee (DCMC) shall provide school buildings with a facility diagram and site plan including:

• exits, AED, and fire extinguisher locations
• location of primary and secondary evacuation routes 
• designated safe areas inside and outside the building 
• relocation sites 
• lockdown and evacuation procedures 

The facility diagrams and site plans shall be available in the office of the building administrator and in other appropriate areas and shall be kept on file at the district office.

E. Emergency Telephone Numbers

School buildings shall have an Emergency Log with a current list of emergency telephone numbers and the names and addresses of local and county personnel who are likely to be involved in resolving a crisis situation.  The list will include numbers for agencies such as: police, fire, ambulance, hospital, Poison Control Center, local, county and state emergency management agencies, local public works departments, local utility companies, public health nurse, mental health/suicide hotlines, and the county welfare agency. 

F. Crisis Management Teams

Each school building shall have a Crisis Management Team. The school administrator or designee shall serve as the leader of the Crisis Management Team and the primary contact for emergency response officials. 

1. The leader shall select and train the building Crisis Management Team to respond to all emergencies.

2. The leader shall assume the resource role when emergency response personnel are available to take command and control of the situation.

3. The leader shall maintain a drill log for compliance with state statute.

4. The District Crisis Management Committee (DCMC) shall maintain a current listing of the RPS Emergency Log of the Crisis Management Teams and members.

G. District Employees  

Teachers generally have the most direct contact with students on a day-to-day basis.  As a result, they should be aware of their role in responding to crisis situations.  This also applies to non-teaching school personnel who have direct contact with students.  All staff shall be aware of the Crisis Management Policy and their school’s Crisis Management Plan.  

Legal References:

• Minn. Stat. §121A.06 (Reports of dangerous weapon in school zones)
• Minn. Stat. §121A.035 (Crisis management policy)
• Minn. Stat. §299F.011 (Uniform fire code; adoption)
• Minn. Stat. §299F.30 (Fire drill in school; doors and exits)
• Minn. Stat. §299F.391 (Healthcare, education, or lodging facility)

RATIFIED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION: February 3, 2003

REVISED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

• September 5, 2006
• October 3, 2016

REVIEWED AND REAFFIRMED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

• August 4, 2008
• November 16, 2020
• August 16, 2021
• September 6, 2022