Emergency Procedures

Parkland School Division’s first priority is the safety, security, and well being of our students and staff. While we hope our schools are never faced with an emergency situation, we are prepared to respond to an incident if one should occur.

We have taken steps to prepare our schools and school jurisdiction to deal effectively with emergency situations that may occur in or around a school during the school day. Our comprehensive Division Emergency Response Plan is complemented by individual plans tailored for each school. These plans are reviewed regularly.

In order for our Emergency Response Plan to be effective, we depend on the cooperation and assistance of many people, including the police and the fire departments, and parents.

Your cooperation is vital to helping us protect the safety and welfare of all children and school employees. Please observe the procedures explained below.

In The Event Of An Emergency:

Do not call the school or your child’s cell phone.

We understand and respect your concern, but it is essential that the phone systems be available for emergency communications. If you call the school you will tie up lines and systems required for communicating with emergency responders and may inhibit our ability to send or receive critical information.

By calling your child’s cell phone, you could potentially put them in harm's way, depending on the nature of the crisis. Please do not call; we will ensure that you get the information you need by contacting you.

Note: It is imperative that the information on your child’s Emergency Information Card is current.

Get quick and accurate emergency information.

There are many ways for you to quickly and accurately receive emergency announcements and status reports without having to call your child’s school.

Visit school websites for updated notifications. The latest news will be posted on the front page, usually on a ticker at the top of the homepage.
Follow the Division's social media channels on Twitter and Facebook.
Call the Division Office (Centre for Education) at 780-963-4010.
Tune into a local radio or television station.

Parents of those students involved will be contacted with information as it becomes available on our emergency communication system via automated voice messages and emails.

Emergency FAQs

What happens during a Lock-Down or Shelter-in-Place?

In the event of a lock-down or shelter-in-place, the school will be locked with NO arrivals or departures of anyone, including staff, students or parents. You will not be allowed to pick up your child until after an “all-clear” is given and established student release procedures are in order. This procedure will be strictly adhered to under all circumstances. Please do not go to the school until instructed to do so.

What if the school is evacuated?

It may be necessary to keep the streets and parking lot clear for emergency vehicles.

If it's necessary to evacuate the school, students will gather at a primary assembly location, predetermined by each school, to ensure their safety. Students will remain at the assembly location until they are returned to the school or released to their parent/guardian.

Depending on the severity of the situation, students may be transported to a secondary assembly location away from the school. You will be notified of this via the Division website and the media.

How do I reunite with or pick up my child during or after an emergency?

Should circumstances merit, the school may activate a student release procedure. This allows the school to do a controlled release of students to their parent/guardian. Should it be necessary to activate the student release procedure, instructions on where and when to pick up your child will be posted on the Division website. Students will remain at either the primary or secondary assembly location until they return to the school or are released to their parent/guardian.

Instructions on where, how and when you are able to pick up your child will be posted on the front page of this website. Please also read the "Procedures for Parent-Child Reunion" at the bottom of this page.

Carefully read all information you receive from the school regarding emergency procedures, as assembly locations are different at each school. Talk to your children and emphasize how important it is for them to follow instructions from their teachers and school officials during any emergency.

Procedures for Parent-Child Reunion

To ensure your child’s safety, and to assist staff in quickly reuniting you with your child, please observe the established procedures. We recognize that you may be worried and want to be reunited with your child as quickly as possible. However, this system has been established to ensure your child’s safety. You could be jeopardizing your child’s or another child’s safety by not adhering to these procedures.

Detailed release instructions will be posted at the secondary assembly location.
A designated Parent Waiting Area will be established at the secondary assembly location. Please wait in this area until your child is brought to you. This is for the safety of both you and your child.
No student will be released unless you or an individual designated on the student's Emergency Information Card arrives to pick up that student.
Every parent/guardian will be required to sign for the release of their child. This step is extremely important, as it is the schools only means of ensuring all students are accounted for at all times. Please do not take your child from the secondary assembly location without signing for their release. You will also be required to show valid identification during this process to ensure students are safely released to their custodial parent/guardian.
All students will be kept at the secondary assembly location until a parent/guardian can arrange to pick them up.

Note: It is imperative that the information on your child’s Emergency Information Card is current. Each school refers to this information in the event of an emergency.

For more information contact:

Division Office (Centre for Education)
Phone: 780-963-4010