Great California Shake-Out! Mock Disaster Drill and Emergency Preparation
Venado students and staff will participate in the Great California Shake-Out on Thursday, October 17. This is an annual statewide drill to promote earthquake preparedness and practice safe duck, cover, and hold procedures. For more information about the Great California Shake-Out, or to learn about ways to prepare for an earthquake, please visit: www.shakeout.org.
Venado will also practice its emergency preparedness procedures during a Mock Disaster Drill on October 17. The purpose of the drill is to mobilize our emergency teams and practice our protocols so that in the event of an earthquake or other catastrophic emergency, our students and staff will be more prepared. The students will report to Homeroom class after period 6. We will conduct the disaster drill from approximately 1:40 to 3:00 p.m. Students are encouraged to wear hats, appropriate clothing, and sunscreen for the duration of the drill; students will be seated on the grass and/or blacktop area. Students should come prepared with a reading book, homework, or other activity to pass the time. They will not be permitted to use cell phones or other electronic devices.
We will also practice our reunification procedures during this drill; therefore, parents are invited to pick up their students from school from 2:15-2:45 p.m. If you choose to participate in our reunification drill, please bring your driver’s license or other government-issued photo identification and be prepared to wait in line. Only persons listed on the emergency contact form will be allowed to sign out a student from school; adults will not be able to sign out students in a carpool situation unless they are listed as an official emergency contact on the parent portal. All students will be released at the regular dismissal time of 3:00 p.m. at the conclusion of the drill. Thank you for your support.
Student and staff safety is paramount at Venado. As such it’s important that all students and staff are prepared in the event of an emergency. Throughout the year, we will also spend time practicing our various emergency preparation drills, including fire drills, earthquake drills, and lockdown drills. All students were taught our emergency procedures during an important orientation lesson in Homeroom the first week of school, and we’ve already practiced each type of drill this school year. The students and staff did an amazing job!
~ Shannon Van Dam, Assistant Principal