School Safety Emergency Plans
EMERGENCIES- Windemere Ranch is prepared for, and has drills incorporating, different types of emergencies. In all cases, DIRECTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED QUICKLY AND QUIETLY. When the fire alarm sounds, an announcement will be made to confirm the event which will begin student/staff evacuation to the blacktop. If students/staff are in immediate danger, they must immediately evacuate the school buildings and report to the designated location on the blacktop behind the gym. Students in the halls or at lunch when the alert bell sounds should meet the teacher from their previous class on the blacktop. In the event of another type of emergency, students will be instructed by their teachers to follow the procedures for the particular type of emergency.
During a major event, like an earthquake, please do not call into the school. Logistically, we do not have the capacity to field the potential number of incoming calls. Please expect the school to send out email messages to you. We will also post updates on our website.
Cell phones provide a great opportunity for you to connect with your children during a real emergency. We encourage you to check in with your children via cell phone ONLY if there is a major emergency (earthquake, other natural disaster). If there is a serious event, have a plan for your children to call or text you when our evacuation is complete. Of course, you may be anxious to call them. If possible, please wait for them to call you. This will allow the fewest possible distractions as we bring your children to our staging area. When you do connect with them, we encourage you to soothe your children by telling them you are fine, and they will be fine. Remind your children to listen to their teachers, administrators, police, and fire department staff. At the end of a major event, our goal will be to ensure their safety and to get them back to you.
To get your children back to you, we have an orderly dismissal procedure we would like you to follow. The dismissal procedure is imperative because, in the event of a major disaster, we need to know where your children are. If we cannot locate your children, we will send emergency personnel to their last known location and everywhere else until they are found. We do not want to send emergency personnel into the school looking for students who went home without notifying our staff.
At the end of some major event, like an earthquake, we will want you to pick your children up and sign them out. Please report to the front of the school and you will be given directions. There, we will have a “reunification team” waiting to get your children and sign them out to you. Although we know it will be tempting, please don't call your children and tell them to come home on their own. We need to keep track of them and make sure they're safe, just as you do. It is possible, if not likely, that it will be safe to release the students as we do at the end of every school day. Please allow us to make that decision and refer to our website and or email messages for up-to-date information and directions.
CLOSED CAMPUS- Windemere Ranch is a closed campus. Students may not leave campus without permission at anytime. Students leaving campus without permission will be considered truant. Should it be necessary for a student to leave campus, a parent must be responsible for checking the student out in the attendance office before the student leaves the campus. Students who decide to leave campus without authorization acknowledge that there will be consequences.
VISITORS- Since, WRMS is a closed campus, all visitors must check in at the main office before proceeding to any part of the campus. Students or friends from other schools are not allowed to visit Windemere Ranch while school is in session between the hours of 7am-4pm or attend any school activities.
