Board adopts 'I Love You Guys' crisis response curriculum after positive pilot feedback

The El Dorado School Board approved adoption of the "I Love You Guys" crisis response curriculum, a free program developed by a nonprofit that promotes a five-part Standard Response Protocol (SRP) for school crisis responses.

Staff described the program as a consolidated approach intended to unify multiple emergency responses (hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate, shelter) into consistent language and actions. The presenter said the SRP simplifies training and aligns responses across events; staff also said the program is free and regularly updated by the nonprofit. The presenter noted the curriculum was developed after a school shooting in Colorado and that the program founders named it after the last text the founder's child sent: "I love you guys." (This origin story was described by staff as background provided by the nonprofit.)

District pilots included classroom visits and staff surveys. Staff reported 97 district staff completed a pilot survey; 99% said the SRP was "easy to understand and put into action," and 96% said the materials would help instructors teach students what to do. Staff noted questions raised during the pilot about how to communicate with parents and that some facility improvements (for example, locking mechanisms and audio/visual alerts in loud spaces) were identified as follow-up items.

Board members asked why the district was moving from ALICE training; staff said ALICE was last used about six to seven years ago and that the district is shifting to a single, holistic protocol that covers all response types. Staff described some low-cost facility fixes the training highlighted, such as reversing a classroom office door's lock to allow office staff to lock from the inside and adding visual alerts for loud rooms.

The board moved to approve the district crisis response curriculum and the motion carried; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally.