The safety and well-being of our students is important to Waukee Community School District. As a district we believe in addition to planning and training our staff and students, we must ensure our stakeholders are familiar with our emergency response terminology and general procedures.

Emergency
An emergency is any situation – actual or imminent – that endangers the health, safety or lives of Waukee Community School District’s (WCSD) staff and students or the security of the WCSD property.

Fire
Every classroom has an evacuation plan posted in plain sight. The plan will be communicated and practiced with all individuals who occupy the classroom. If an alarm sounds everyone should evacuate immediately and not use the elevators. No one will be allowed to re-enter the building until police and fire departments have issued an “all clear.”

Tornado
Tornado warnings will be issued by the National Weather Service and sounded by Civil Defense sirens.  Every classroom has a tornado shelter plan posted in plain sight. The plan will be communicated and practiced with all individuals who occupy the classroom.

  • Tornado Watch: means a tornado may develop.  Normal operations will continue.
  • Tornado Warning: means a tornado has been detected and a signal (intercom announcement) will be sounded. All individuals should remain in the designated safe areas until the warning expires.

External Lockdown
If an external incident occurs in a neighborhood near a school, the police department may request we place a building on an external lockdown. No one will be allowed to enter or exit the building until the police department determines the conditions outside of the school building are safe. Nonessential movement within the school is limited, but classes continue.

Internal Lockdown
If there is an active threat inside a school building, Run, Hide, Fight protocol will be initiated and the building will be placed on an internal lockdown. No one will be allowed to enter the building until the police department determines lifts the internal lockdown.

Threats/Evacuation
All school personnel are responsible to do what is prudent and possible in the event of imminent danger for students.  Imminent danger could include any condition that threatens the safety of students while they are in the building. Examples could include bomb threat, structural failure, gas leaks, etc. A decision will be made by the building administrator whether to stay put or evacuate.

  • Stay Put: Students will be assigned seat work. The regular daily schedule is suspended. Students will remain in the area they are in at the time of the announcement.
  • Evacuate: If a full evacuation announcement is made, fire evacuation procedures should be followed.  Students will be directed to alternative sites in the event of inclement weather.