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Board discusses 'trauma-informed' drill wording and adopts 'secure lockout' phrasing
Summary
Board members and a district presenter reviewed state-driven language changes requiring trauma-informed drill notices, the use of a repeated 'This is a drill' script, and clarified the new 'secure lockout' term; members also raised questions about floor plan confidentiality and potential remote PA access by outside agencies.
Board members and a district presenter discussed changes to emergency-drill language intended to be "trauma-informed" and consistently used across buildings. Presenter (S3) said the state guidance asks administrators to give occupants a heads-up before drills to avoid triggering emotional reactions; the presenter told administrators the recommended announcement script and that principals or their designees should state the exercise is a drill.
"This is a drill. We're practicing an evacuation or we're practicing a lockdown. This is a drill," the presenter said while explaining the standard verbiage administrators should use prior to exercises.
Board members asked for operational clarifications. One board member (S4) asked whether the district must practice "lockout" or "shelter in place" as well; the presenter said the verbiage has changed to "secure lockout" to avoid confusion with "lockdown," and described "secure lockout" as checking and ensuring exterior doors are closed and locked when a threat is outside the building. Chair (S1) contrasted the two terms, saying a lockout is typically used when something is happening in the community and a lockdown is when a dangerous situation is inside the building.
The presenter also described a required floor-plan update that would mark emergency locations (water and electrical shutoffs, alarm pull-stations). The presenter said those floor plans will be kept within confidential building-level emergency response plans and shared with local and state troopers after the 30-day public comment period rather than published broadly. Chair (S1) raised a security concern, asking, "Does the EDPD sheriff's department or state troopers have access to take over our PA system and all that?" The presenter said there is no provision for remote takeover and the district will discuss the subject further.
The discussion clarified drill wording, confidentiality of emergency floor plans, and next steps for coordination with law enforcement; the board did not vote on policy text at the meeting.
