Emergency & Safety Info

Keeping students and staff safe is very important. 

For that reason, Suffolk Public Schools:

• Conducts drills in each school throughout the year, including fire, severe weather, intruder, and lock-down drills. These drills help prepare students and staff in the event of a true emergency.
• Reviews and updates each school’s safety plans. These plans include specific information on a variety of crisis situations that could occur in a school. To maintain the integrity of these plans, school and division crisis plans are not available for public distribution.
• Maintains close contact with the Suffolk Police Department and the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Department. They are the experts and we value their advice in addressing emergencies.

Communications

• Emergency, closing and cancellation information will be posted on this site as soon as possible. Information will also be sent to parents via the division’s telephone notification system.
• Depending on the type of emergency, our response could include evacuation, lock-down, relocation to previously designated safe havens, or a modification of any of the above options. In every event, our primary objective is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Our administrators are trained to remain flexible, to make situation-appropriate decisions, and to wisely and effectively use available crisis management tools.
• Please do not call the school since all lines may be needed to address the emergency.  

Nixle Text Messaging Service

Suffolk Public Schools works with Nixle to send text messages to registered residents instantly via cell phone text message and/or email. Notifications can also be accessed online at Nixle’s web site. Register at https://local.nixle.com/register  (NOTE:  You must go into “Settings” to select “Suffolk Public Schools”)

Messages may include school weather closings and delays, transportation updates and other relevant safety and community event information. The service is free for Suffolk Public Schools to use, and also a free service for residents.  Subscribers can also choose the way in which alerts are received, whether it is by email, text message, or over the web.
 

EduLink Automated Calling 

The school division also uses an automated calling system called EduLink to make emergency and informational announcements to students’ home phones.  The phone numbers are automatically pulled from the division’s student information data system, which parents should update each year and each time contact information changes.

The EduLink system is an enhancement – not a replacement – of the traditional communication methods in place, including the district Web site, letters or personal phone calls to parents, and announcements by the local and area media outlets. For more information, contact the public information office at 925-6752.

 

What Do All Those Codes Mean?

Suffolk Public Schools has developed a standard code system used at all schools to inform staff and students of situations in which they might need to take action.

Code Green
… Normal operating conditions
… All Clear code after red, yellow or blue

Code Blue
… Severe weather alert

Code Yellow
… Classrooms locked
… No one leaves the room or area
… Only designated persons in the hall
… Used for such non-threatening emergencies such as drug dogs, random metal detector checks, severe injury in the building.

Code Red
… Classrooms Locked
… No one leaves the room or area
… Move away from the windows and doorways
… Used for such threats as intruder, weapon in building, etc.