1.  Three school evacuation drills. These drills prepare students and personnel for situations that occur when conditions outside of a school building are safer than inside a school building. Evacuation may be necessary depending on the circumstances. They may include a fire, suspicious item or person, or incident involving a hazardous material, including but not limited to a chemical, incendiary, explosive, and bomb threat.

One of the three school evacuation drills requires the participation of the appropriate local fire department, unless waived as provided below. A date is selected according to the following timeline:

• No later than September 1 of each year, the local fire department or fire district must contact the Building Principal in order to make arrangements.

• No later than September 14 of each year, the Building Principal or designee and the local fire department or fire district may agree to waive the provisions concerning participation by the local fire department in a school evacuation drill.

• No later than September 15 of each year, each Building Principal or designee must contact the responding local fire official and propose to the local fire official four dates within the month of October, during at least two different weeks of October, on which to hold the drill. The fire official may choose any of the four available dates, and if he or she does so, the drill occurs on that date.

• Alternatively, the Building Principal or designee and the local fire official may, by mutual agreement, set any other date for the drill, including a date outside of the month of October.

• If the fire official does not select one of the four offered dates in October or set another date by mutual agreement, the school does not need to include the local fire service in one of its mandatory school evacuation drills.

After a drill in which the local fire service participated, the Building Principal should request certification from the local fire service that the school evacuation drill was conducted. Additional school evacuation drills for fire incidents may involve the participation of the appropriate local fire department. In addition, schools may conduct additional school evacuation drills to account for other evacuation incidents, including without limitation, suspicious items or bomb threats.

2.  One school bus evacuation drill. This drill prepares students and school personnel for situations that occur when conditions outside of the bus are safer than inside the bus. Evacuation may be necessary, depending on the circumstances, in the event of a fire, suspicious items, and incidents involving hazardous materials. Schools may conduct additional bus evacuation drills.

In addition, instruction on safe bus riding practices should be provided for all students. See 4:110-AP3, School Bus Safety Rules.

3.  One severe weather and shelter-in-place drill. This drill prepares students for situations involving severe weather emergencies or the release of external gas or chemicals. Severe weather and shelter-in-place drills must address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents. Other drills shall be based on the needs and environment of particular communities, including severe weather (such as tornadoes, wind shears, lightning, and earthquakes), incidents involving hazardous materials, and incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.

4.  One law enforcement drill. This drill addresses a school shooting incident and evaluates the preparedness of school personnel and students for situations calling for the involvement of law enforcement when there is an active threat or an active shooter within a school building. A law enforcement drill must occur no later than 90 days after the first day of each school year. This drill must be conducted: (a) according to the District’s emergency operations and crisis response plan(s), (b) on days and times when students are normally present in the school building, and (c) with the participation of all school personnel and students present at school at the time of the drill, except for those exempted at the discretion of administrators or school support personnel. The appropriate local law enforcement agency must observe administration of the drill. In addition, a law enforcement drill must meet each of the following criteria:

• During each calendar year, the appropriate local law enforcement agency contacts the Building Principal to request participation in the law enforcement drill. The Building Principal and the local law enforcement agency shall set, by mutual agreement, a date for the drill.

• The drill involves the onsite participation of the local law enforcement agency, provided that an agreeable date can be reached between the Building Principal and the local law enforcement agency. If the parties cannot reach an agreeable date, the school shall hold the drill without participation from the local law enforcement agency.

• After a drill in which local law enforcement participated, the Building Principal should request a certification from local law enforcement that the law enforcement drill was conducted. The local law enforcement agency shall also notify the school of any deficiencies noted during the drill.

• The building principal notifies parents/families one week prior of the date and time of lockdown drill using this form letter template Parents/families may have their student opt out of the lockdown drill by returning this form.