6
used a new, easy-to-update website to
inform and assure those who went looking
for information.
Local and area high schools generally, though
sometimes unofficially, allow students to bring cell
phones to school, but insist they remain off and out-
of-sight during school hours. But texting and
tweeting takes place. Sometimes the technology is
incorporated into classroom instruction. Parents like
the connection it provides.
What’s clear is there’s no putting the tech genie
back in the bottle, even though it can be as
disruptive as it is useful.
We’re long past the days
when parents had to wait
until everyone gathered at
the dinner table to ask,
“What happened at school
today?”
There
was
one
technological hiccup.
“Our first automated
calls went to home phones
and many people were not
at home,” Brown said. “We
now have set up a
separate crisis phone list
that includes all of the
phone numbers on a
student’s
emergency
contact list.”
Other lessons learned
centered
around
the
reunification
process,
coordination with police
agencies, communications
issues, media relations and school security
upgrades.
Reunification a ‘work in progress’
The district had developed a reunification plan,
but nothing could have prepared administrators for
the real thing involving some 1,900 students. Some
parents had to wait in line for hours to pick up their
children, and students could only be released to the
parents or guardians listed on the students’
emergency contact forms.
One delay was the need to create a form for
parents or guardians to sign to pick up their
children. The district now has forms ready to go the
next time there is a need for reunification.
“It is not a simple process and we had to go
slow before we could go fast,” said Assistant
Superintendent for Human Resources Nathaniel
Cunningham Jr., adding that administrators had not
considered the issue of students who were 18 years
of age being able to sign themselves out. “A few
students asked about that, but no one pushed the
issue.”
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Dr.
Sandy Wilson was dispatched to the evacuation/
reunification site and got that process under control
even though it was described as a “work in
progress.”
Niehaus said the
key was everyone
being patient -- a
byproduct of the
fact that all of the
students were safe.
“Once
parents
heard
that
everyone
was
okay, they were
willing to stand in
line as long as they
needed
to,”
Niehaus said. “We
had principals and
teachers
also
standing in that
line. Everyone was
equal that day. We
had talked about
the
theory
of
reunification,
but
we found that we
need to tighten the
process.”
Providing separate rooms for students with
disabilities and making sure there is proper
wheelchair access for the evacuation site are other
issues that must be taken into consideration during
the planning process, the district’s administrators
noted.
Coordination with law enforcement agencies
important to avoid surprises
Some local police agencies had been involved
in emergency exercises with the schools, but
challenges still cropped up, including the important
question of who is in charge when several different
police agencies respond.
(Continued from page 5)
(Continued on page 7)
“
What’s clear is there’s no
putting the tech genie back
in the bottle, even though it
can be as disruptive as it is
useful. We’re long past the
days when parents had to
wait until everyone gathered
at the dinner table to ask,
‘What happened at school
today?
’
”
-- From Bloomington Pantagraph editorial
praising McLean County District 5’s response
McLean story ————————————————————
Lessons
Learned
