Shakopee presents updated safety protocol posters, drills and reunification planning

Shakopee Public Schools staff briefed the board Jan. 6 on the district's crisis and safety work, emphasizing clearer language for school responses and regional reunification planning.

The district's assistant superintendent Jim McClusich and crisis-and-safety coordinator Kenny Christiansen told the board the schools are adopting the I Love You Guys Foundation standard response protocol (SRP) language to reduce media and public confusion between routine holds and full lockdowns. Christiansen said the district will display intercom-ready posters for staff and a public-facing poster for hallways that explain the three status terms and how they differ.

"The lockdown is way at the bottom — locks, lights, out of sight," Christiansen said, adding that the district wants parents and media to distinguish those rare lockdowns from more frequent "hold" and "secure" responses. He described a "hold" as an internal incident (medical or student crisis) where activity inside classrooms continues, and a "secure" as a response to something outside the building where interior activity is normal but exterior access is limited.

Why it matters: staff said local media sometimes report "lockdown" for events that are actually a hold or secure, raising unnecessary alarm. Clearer terminology, posters and consistent intercom language are intended to reduce confusion for families and the public.

Details shared with the board included: - Drills and training: District staff said buildings routinely practice holds and secure drills as part of the state's required lockdown drill counts. Staff reported most schools had completed at least two hold drills and one secure drill this school year. - After-hours and facility rentals: The district is drafting an "after-school activity crisis manual" to be provided to coaches, rental groups and other outside users; rental contracts will include an acknowledgement of the manual and digital signature where appropriate. - Regional reunification planning: The high school's planned reunification site is the Shakopee Community Center; district staff are meeting with community center leaders to finalize logistics and shared responsibilities. Staff also discussed collaborating with Southwest Metro districts and Scott County emergency partners to avoid duplicated planning and to scale responses for large evacuations.

Assistant Superintendent Jim McClusich said the district's capital projects levy funds many safety measures, including key-card systems, volunteer screening, more than 700 cameras, intercoms and cybersecurity work by the district technology team. He credited recent levy-supported upgrades with improving day-to-day safety and readiness.

Board members asked about communication to parents and how drills and terminology are taught to younger students and activity supervisors. A student representative, Shania, said teachers explain drills and expectations in class and that students generally understand the differences; staff said elementary students practice holds and secure drills as part of their required drill schedule.

Christiansen also described ongoing work on reunification logistics at the community center and said Southwest Metro may use the district's high school plan for regional reunification needs. The district said it will continue coordinating with SROs, the Scott County Sheriff's Department and local fire departments, and will meet soon with community partners to finalize the community center plan.

No board action was required on the presentation; staff said follow-up work will include printing public-facing posters, finalizing the after-hours manual, circulating the manual to outside users as part of rental agreements and continuing regional coordination.