Safety & Security

A Lockdown is when there is a direct threat or hazard to people or school property. From parental custody disputes to intruders to an active shooter, Lockdown uses classroom and school security actions to protect students and staff from threats.

What we'll do:

PAUSD and local law enforcement will work together to identify and contain the threat as fast as possible. PAUSD will send updates to family and staff as soon as we are able.

What you should do:

Understand that the scene is unsafe. Do NOT block emergency response vehicles. Stay a safe distance away and wait for instructions from the district and law enforcement. Please know that telephones at the school or location will go unanswered. Staff are in lockdown for their protection and will not answer phones. Look for updates by text message, email, or voice call messaging. You can also look at PAPD’s social media page for more information.

Secure the perimeter is when there is a threat or hazard outside the school building. Whether it's due to police activity in the immediate neighborhood, or a dangerous animal like a mountain lion on the playground, securing the perimeter uses the security of the physical facility to act as protection. The situation does not currently pose a threat as long as students, staff and visitors are inside the building. Doors will be locked, but classroom activities will resume. No one will be allowed to leave the facility, or enter it from the outside until deemed safe by public safety. Because of the similarities, between a Secure the Perimeter response sometimes a Shelter In-Place may be called.

What we'll do:

Get all students, staff and visitors inside the building and make sure doors are locked. We will monitor the situation and send notifications to families and staff with updates.

What you should do:

Look for text, email or voice call updates. Because the threat is not in the school, it is unsafe for you to come to the school as it could place you near the external threat. Please do not come to the school during a secure the perimeter event. You can also look at PAPD’s social media page for more information.

Shelter In-Place is when there is a hazardous threat outside the school building. For example, a train or large truck carrying chemicals is involved in an accident and there is a release of dangerous substances that first responders have deemed a threat to public safety. Shelter in-place procedures use the security of the physical facility to act as protection while sealing off doors, windows and vents. Doors and windows will be locked and sealed as much as possible, but classroom activities will resume. No one will be allowed to leave the facility, or enter it from the outside until deemed safe by public safety.

What we'll do:

Students, staff and visitors will shelter in place within each facility and PAUSD will close off the outside air to the facility while remaining in constant communication with Palo Alto Operations of Emergency Services (OES) for further instructions. We will monitor the situation and send notifications to families and staff with updates.

What you should do:

Stay away from the facility and look for updates by text message, email, or voice call messaging. You can also look at PAPD’s social media page for more information.

Evacuation is when a threat has been deemed credible by school staff or PAPD and an immediate evacuation is required.  Through partnership with Palo Alto Operations of Emergency Services (OES), we have identified immediate and secondary off-site evacuation points. Depending on how long it takes to clear the school of any possible threat, reunification procedures may be activated.

What we'll do:

Students, staff and visitors will be evacuated to the identified evacuation point. This may require the use of district transportation at some point. We will monitor the situation and send notifications to families and staff with updates.

What you should do:

Stay away from the facility and look for updates by text message, email, or voice call messaging. You can also look at PAPD’s social media page for more information.

Reunification is when parents or guardians are reunited with their students or loved ones after an evacuation or other emergency. Through partnership with Palo Alto Operations of Emergency Services (OES), we have pre-identified immediate and secondary off-site evacuation points. The location for reunification will be shared through email, text and voice call messaging.

What you should do:

Stay away from the facility and look for updates by text message, email, or voice call messaging. You can also look at PAPD’s social media page for more information.

Any of the above types of emergencies could result in delays in the normal drop-off or release schedule for a campus. We will provide frequent updates to families with schedule changes and drop-off or pick-up locations.