A Note from Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Reinke about School Safety at Maple Dale
In the past two weeks, several schools in our area and others across Ohio and Northern Kentucky have reported receiving phone call threats from an unknown person. In each instance, the caller warns the school personnel of a bomb on school property. The voice is automated, and the call has proved difficult to trace. Local law enforcement officials are working closely with the FBI to identify this person(s) and bring them to justice. We have been involved in a briefing with our local police and district leaders to learn the most current information and to understand the protocols for this situation.
Understandably, this is an upsetting situation and we are writing to let you know that we have a clear plan in place for evacuation of the students at Maple Dale should we receive one of these calls. We have a building emergency response team that has been trained on our emergency response plan. All staff have been briefed on the plan as well and we have held some drills thus far to simulate a “lock-down” or fire emergency.
In the next week, we will hold an evacuation drill of our building. Our “rally” location, Edwin H. Greene Intermediate School, is away from the Maple Dale campus and in walking distance. We have decided to do this practice to ensure that we can evacuate all students and staff in a safe manner. On the day of the drill, we will send home a Blackboard Connect message to all parents to let them know that the drill took place.
Our goal is not to alarm your children. So, we may use the fire alarm system and ask that the teachers lead their classes to our neighboring school as they leave the Maple Dale Building. Once we have established that we have been successful, we will move back to Maple Dale.
In the case of a real phone issued threat, we would evacuate and stay at EHG until the police have cleared our school of the threat. Again, we have a clear plan in place for parent notification, transportation and additional safety measures.
Please contact us if you have any concerns or questions. Your children and their well-being is our highest priority.
Ron and Ann Marie
