Canyons District Schools outlined its reunification process for students after unexpected emergencies and urged parents to wait for official instructions rather than rushing to school sites.

The district said reunification occurs whenever a school building is deemed unsafe — examples given included a power outage, a water main break or severe weather — and that students will evacuate, assemble at a designated safe location and remain under supervision until released to an authorized adult. "Reunification is the method by which Canyons District Schools reconnect students with parents or guardians following an unexpected emergency," Staff member (Staff member) said.

Why it matters: reunification is the point at which the district transfers custody of students from school staff to verified parents, guardians or pre-established emergency contacts. The district emphasized that releasing students only to verifiable adults is intended to keep students safe and to avoid confusion during an emergency.

District officials said a range of trusted helpers — teachers, counselors, school nurses, police and crisis responders — will supervise students at reunification sites. Parents, the district advised, should "stay where they are and wait for instructions" because arriving at the school without direction can "cause confusion and slow the efforts of first responders," the staff member said. The district said it will provide regular updates through its mass communication system: text messages, voice calls, emails, social media and the district website.

The district listed specific requirements for release: parents should be prepared to show photo identification; students will be released only to a verifiable parent, legal guardian or a pre-established emergency contact. The announcement noted the importance of keeping contact information current in Skyward, the district's student information system. "As soon as students arrive at the reunification location, parents will be notified when and where to pick up their student and what items they need to bring, such as a photo ID," the staff member said.

The district acknowledged that delays in communicating with families sometimes occur and explained those delays reflect prioritizing student safety on site. The statement ended with a pointer to the district's safety information page for more details: canyonsdistrict.org/safe-schools.

The remarks were informational guidance from district staff rather than a board decision or formal policy vote; no motions or formal actions were recorded in the transcript.