The Sunnyvale ISD has adopted the nationally recognized Standard Response Protocol (SRP). SRP is used by schools and colleges as is endorsed by the Texas School Safety Center. It provides common terms and uniform responses. All Sunnyvale ISD staff and students are being trained on SRP.
A critical ingredient in the safe school recipe is the uniform classroom response to any incident. Weather events, fires, accidents, intruders, and other threats to student safety are scenarios that are planned and trained for by school and district administration and staff. Historically, schools have taken this scenario-based approach to respond to hazards and threats. It's not uncommon to find a stapled sheaf of papers or even a tabbed binder in a teacher's desk that describes various things that might happen and the specific response to each event.
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based not on individual scenarios but on the response to any given situation. The premise is simple - there are four specific actions that can be performed during an incident. Execution of the action is performed by active participants, including students, staff, teachers and first responders.
Secure is followed by the Directive: "Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors" and is the protocol used to safeguard students and staff within the building.
Lockdown is followed by "Locks, Lights, Out of Sight" and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place.
Evacuate is always followed by a location, and is used to move students and staff from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Shelter is always followed by a type and a method and is the protocol for group and self-protection
About SRP
The Standard Response Protocol has been developed for implementation within K-12 and university education settings by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation, a Colorado-based non-profit organization committed to student safety. The SRP has been endorsed by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the office of the Governor for the State of Texas.
Administrators, campus staff and students are trained each school year on SRP and conduct SRP-based emergency drills each semester, as well as state-mandated fire drills, to reinforce emergency preparedness. While SRP is not a replacement for school safety plans or programs, it standardizes Sunnyvale ISD’s approach to emergency management by providing for consistent terminology and response actions during an emergency.
SRP Actions
The SRP is all-hazard in nature, meaning it is not based on individual scenarios, but rather on the response to any given scenario. The most significant benefit of the SRP is the standard language used by teachers, students, parents, staff and first responders. The protocol also allows for a predictable series of actions as an incident unfolds. The SRP is based upon five actions: Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter and Hold. Each action provides specific staff and student directives that are unique to the action.
Hold is issued to quickly clear all hallways. Students and staff remain in their classroom or current area, and school business continues as usual. A Hold may be called during a medical emergency, an urgent maintenance issue or any situation requiring cleared hallways.
Students
Remain in your classroom or current location.
Continue school business as usual.
Teachers
Recover students and staff from hallways.
Secure classroom door.
Take attendance and note the time.
Continue school business as usual (except student transitions), until notified that Hold has been lifted.
Parents
Please do not come to the school, as Hold incidents are resolved quickly. Students typically return to normal bell schedules within minutes.
Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.
Secure occurs when an indirect hazard exists outside of the building. Secure utilizes the physical facility to act as protection. School business continues as usual, once staff and students are brought in from outside and perimeter doors are secured. No movement occurs in or out.
Students
Return to inside of building
Continue with business as usual
Teachers
Recover students and staff from outside the building.
Secure perimeter doors.
Post Secure signage.
Increase situational awareness.
Take attendance and note the time.
Continue school business as usual.
Parents
Wait for updates from Sunnyvale ISD via normal communication channels.
Please do not come to the school, as no-one is allowed in or out of the school building during Secure.
Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.
Lockdown occurs when there is a threat/hazard inside the building. Interior security features are used to protect staff & students. Individual classroom doors are secured, occupants remain silent/out of sight & lights are turned off. Barricading of doors or self-evacuation may occur.
Students
Move away from windows or doors.
Maintain silence.
Silence mobile devices.
Teachers
Secure classroom door.
Turn off lights.
Move away from doors or windows.
Maintain silence.
Silence mobile devices.
Take attendance and note the time.
Wait for first responders to open the door.
Parents
Wait for updates from Sunnyvale ISD via normal communication channels.
Please do not come to the school, as no-one is allowed in or out of the school during a Lockdown.
Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.
Evacuate occurs when students and staff must leave the building. Students and staff are calmly transitioned to predetermined evacuation assembly points. For hazards other than fire, the type of hazard and special instructions are announced.
Students
Bring your phone, if not in a backpack or purse (if it is already on your person).
Leave your stuff behind.
Form a single file line.
Show your hands, if requested.
Listen carefully for alternate instructions.
Teachers
Grab the teacher folder or roll sheet, if safe to do so.
Lead students to Evacuation location.
Take attendance and note the time upon arrival at predetermined evacuation assembly point.
Notify campus officials of any attendance discrepancies.
Parents
Wait for updates from Sunnyvale ISD via normal communication channels.
Please do not come to the school, as most evacuations are short-term with students immediately returning to the building following a brief period of time to evaluate the hazard.
If parent reunifications at another district campus will be required, parents will be notified of the reunification location via normal Sunnyvale ISD communications channels. NOTE: Parents or guardians must bring a valid government-issued photo ID to any Sunnyvale ISD reunification site.
Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.
Shelter occurs when protection is necessary against incidents such as tornados or hazardous materials. Shelter actions vary by hazard, & may include: severe weather (transition to pre-designated shelter areas), hazmat (close doors/windows, turn off HVAC systems) or earthquake (drop/take cover).
Students
Follow established procedures, based upon the hazard.
Listen carefully for alternate instructions.
Teachers
Follow established procedures, based upon the hazard.
Take roll and notate the time once it is safe to do so.
Parents
Wait for updates from Sunnyvale ISD via normal communication channels.
Please do not come to the school, as most shelter incidents are limited in duration.
If a shelter incident is followed by an evacuation and parent reunifications at another district campus will be required, parents will be notified of the reunification location via normal Sunnyvale ISD communications channels. NOTE: Parents or guardians must bring a valid government-issued photo ID to any Sunnyvale ISD reunification site.
Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.
