Evidence/Artifact #1: Emergency Procedures
To prepare for entering the teaching profession, I felt it prudent to review School District 79’s Emergency Procedure manual. There is a copy of the manual on the wall in every classroom, the office, library, and any other rooms where students may be. The manual covers the following procedures:
- Emergency and Resource Phone Numbers
- Room Clear
- Evacuation
- Emergency or Crisis Communications Procedure
- Personal Safety Considerations
- Serious Injury, Medical Condition, or Death
- Suicide Threat / Suicide Attempt
- Fight / Weapons
- Fire or Explosion / Gas or Propane Leak / Hazardous Material Spill
- Bomb Threat / Phone Checklist
- Earthquake
- Child Abuse / Missing Child / Abduction
- Threats
- Critical Incident Response / Crisis Response Checklist – Staff Guidelines
- Intruder / Wildlife on School Grounds
- Communicating with the Media
- School-Wide Security Alert System
Being clear on the emergency procedures outlined by the district and the school ensures there is no confusion or miscommunication during an emergency which could potentially put student and staff at risk. I especially reviewed the School-Wide Security Alert System which is a lockdown procedure which is in place to protect staff and students from a threat such as an intruder when it may be more dangerous to leave the building than to stay in a locked room.
As a lockdown can be a very stressful and scary situation for all students I also reviewed the individual education plans, behavioural concerns, and medical concerns of the students in my class. Having a conversation with my mentor teacher about her concerns with students in the class gave me a well-rounded view of the concerns in the class if there was to be an emergency. The information I reviewed is confidential and personal and is my responsibility to keep this information in confidence.
What I learned and Why is it important
It is important that all staff in a school or district be clear on what the safety procedures are to ensure the safety for all people on site. When people are not clear on the procedures there can be miscommunication which can lead to an unnecessary risk to the people on site. I feel this is an important aspect of becoming a teacher as in the beginning as a temporary teacher on call (TTOC) I will be visiting many schools and working with many students. If I am well versed in the safety procedures I will be able to provide the best care for my students both physically and emotionally. A clear understanding of all safety procedures shows that I uphold TRB standard 1.
References
BC Teachers’ Council. (2019, June 19). Professional Standards for BC Educators. Retrieved from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teacher-regulation/standards-for-educators/edu_standards.pdf
School District 79 Cowichan Valley. (2018). Safety Procedures.
mrdevonlawrence.com 