Safety & Security

HOW WILL THE SCHOOL RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY?
When the Superintendent or Emergency Management Coordinator determines that an emergency has occurred, there are three possible plans of action:

Go-Home Plan: Returns students to their homes and family as expeditiously as possible. Each school maintains names of emergency contacts for each child. That is why it is important to advise the building office if the name or number of an emergency contact person changes.

Shelter Plan: Keeps students in their buildings when it is safer to stay inside than to go out. Ordinarily, sheltering is considered a short-term solution. Specific areas of each building are identified as the safest for occupants. A part of the shelter plan will be a Stay-Put plan. In this instance, all students will remain in their current classroom until otherwise notified. Students in school buildings who are not in classrooms will be escorted by staff to a supervised area and remain there until otherwise notified.

Evacuation Plan: Requires that all building occupants leave and go to an alternate location. Evacuation may mean only going outside and away from the building until an all-clear signal is given. In some circumstances, students and staff may need to be transported and housed temporarily in another location.

• Criminal offenses such as bomb threats, kidnapping, or violent behavior.
• Natural hazards such as severe weather or earthquakes.
• Environmental hazards such as exposure to hazardous materials, explosions, fires, or plane crash.
• Medical emergencies such as contagious disease, exposure to biohazards, and accident or terminal illness of a student, parent, or staff member.
• Death or suicide of a student, staff member or family member.

We want to assure you that Commerce ISD takes our responsibility for students very seriously and their safety and security is our top priority. Our district continually reviews our safety and security procedures and makes adjustments when necessary. All staff members have been trained in and have practiced specific emergency plans and procedures with our students. The continued support of parents and the community is critical in this effort.

In the event of a Tornado Watch, our staff will be carefully monitoring the weather and we will take safety measures as necessary.  If you wish to check out your child in the event of a watch, you may do so.  However, in the event of a Tornado Warning where a tornado or funnel clouds have been spotted in our area, teachers will move students to safe areas and will be instructed to take cover (on knees, head on floor facing interior wall, arms covering head).  For the safety of the children, in the event that we must lockdown due to severe weather, we will not be able to check students out.  

We also understand that such tragedies can create anxiety and concern for both parents and children. While it is difficult to understand or explain such tragedy, we ask for your support in providing your children with reassurances. Please know that our counselors are available to offer support to you and your children with these difficult situations.

CISD's Medical Emergency Plan

Each campus will identify First Responders who will receive training on CPR, First Aid, and emergency response. Identifying signs will be placed outside each First Responder classroom/location.   In the event of a medical emergency including but not limited to: anaphylactic reaction, fainting, diabetic emergency, fall/break, etc.., the following actions will take place: 

1. Faculty/Staff will initiate Medical Emergency Plan by calling front office and reporting incident/injury/emergency and location. 
2. Office Staff will radio the campus nurse and call the Director of Health Services, or select Team Assist in your Raptor app by selecting Team Assist> Medical Assistance> enter room number or location> initiate. If the nurse is not on campus call over the intercom for First Responders and identify location and campus “hold-in-classroom” (keep hallways clear). If a nurse is on campus, the nurse will respond and notify the office if First Responders/Hold-in-classroom is needed. 
3. Once Medical Emergency is cleared, hold-in-classroom status will be announced over the intercom.

Videos for Classroom Health / First Aid

Commerce ISD will use its Parent Square Notification System and social media to communicate with parents when there is a school closure.   

AISD Communication Tools for Parents: 

For up to date information, statuses, and announcements like our Facebook page - Commerce Independent School District
 
When there is a school closing for bad weather, emergency announcements will go out via the mass notification system.  An email, phone, and text message will be sent to parent/guardians.  Parents and guardians are automatically set up to receive these notifications through our student data system.  For this reason, it is important to notify your child’s school if your contact information changes during the year.
 
If no information is given from the district or media outlets, Commerce ISD will be open to students and staff at normal times.