Using Safety Drills to Improve Student Performance

School Safety Plans & Policies

Campus Safety Procedures

Activity Description and Summary

The design of safety measures at my school is fundamentally the responsibility of the district authorities, as schools are expected to respond uniformly to district policies and procedures. However, I did help to implement and monitor safety measures through my roles during the school safety drills. My primary responsibility in the campus safety initiative was to assist with in fire drills and shelter-in drills. Numerous studies provide support to the practice of school safety drills, citing benefits to students, their parents and families, and faculty (Brock, 2010; Borum, 2011; NASP, 2013b, 2013c).

Program Outcome Rationale

The overarching theme of the emergency drills is to ensure that administrators and staff are familiar with the protocols intended to guide administrators and staff in maintaining calm and order during an emergency. The key rationale for this objective is that have plans and protocols in place that are regularly practiced by administrators, staff and students will facilitate the appropriate and efficacious handling a crisis, disaster or emergency at the school level. Outcome indicators include evidence that, "continuous and sustainable crisis and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery planning and training that uses evidence-based models" are funded by the district.

District Policies

The process outcome for the fire drill and the shelter-in drill deals with emergency situations and procedures, fire drills, shelter-in drills, emergency egresses, and floor wardens. The district policies provide exact language about the policies and for the procedures to be undertaken in order to implement the policies.

Campus Implementation

All faculty members are given training in the safety plan and implementation of specific aspects of the plan. The most common manifestation of this occurs in the form of fire drills and shelter-in drills, which are conducted after faculty has reviewed the policies and procedures. Often, a specialist from the City or from the district will give a presentation on a component of the safety plan to underscore the importance of compliant implementation.

I was put in charge of a particular exit and directed to supervise as the students and teachers come out of my assigned exit and line up on the street during fire drills. Teachers complete green cards (attendance sheets) to show that they have accounted for all of their students during emergency drills and actual emergencies. I checked to be sure that all students had left through the exit, and I asked to see the green cards of all teachers responsible for students passing through that exit, and was assured that the teaches had accounted for all of their students. At the signal from the principal, I permitted the students and staff in my area to return to the inside of the building.

During shelter-in drills, I was given the responsibility of watching an exit on the first floor of the school building. I was instructed to not to allow anyone in or out during the shelter-in drills. The concept behind the shelter-in drills is that a threat exists outside the building. Teachers are expected to carry on much as usual, but no students are permitted to leave the classroom and the windows -- and any window coverings -- are to remain closed.

Impact on Student Achievement

Conducting routine emergency preparedness drills ensures that students are not overly concerned with safety at school. The practice drills help to instill confidence in the administrators and staff that the school, the district, and the City officials are cognizant of contemporary threats to student safety and that they have put a comprehensive plan in place. Students are regularly exposed to media in these times that undermines their perception of the adequacy of the safety protocols of their schools. A strong safety program should approach student concerns and fears in a matter-of-fact manner that encourages discussion, and top-of-mind safety awareness, but that also results in increased confidence in the safety practices and emergency protocols.

When students are confident that they are safe in their school environments, they will not have to devote mental and emotional energy to worrying about their physical safety (Brock, 2010; Borum, 2011; NASP, 2013a; 2013b). Consequently, the anticipated outcome is that students who are reassured by the routine drills will do better academically and socially in school. The school site and district safety plans go a long way toward reassuring students that they are safe in school, and that they can focus on academic and curricular activities.

Reflection

The American College of Education Educational Leadership Disposition that seems most relevant to the safety practices in which I engaged is Diversity and Unity. The students in the District are quite aware of the influence of diversity on the significant events of the recent past and in current events. Yet, the City and the schools embrace diversity as a value-add characteristic of contemporary, urban society.