Over the course of the next several days, across our three buildings and including all grade-levels and departments, Milton-Union Schools will be practicing safety drills and lockdown procedures as part of required yearly training. On a yearly basis, our staff members and students participate in ALICE Refresher Training, so safety drills allow us to practice appropriate training responses – Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate (ALICE). The purpose of this message is to inform and communicate that these are supervised and planned safety drills to help reduce concern. With advance notice, we want our staff members, teachers, students, and administrators prepared for and focused on practicing, learning from, and debriefing about two upcoming drills.
- With Miami County Sheriff’s Deputy Bryan Lyons and West Milton Police Chief Doyle Wright, our staff members and students will conduct the first safety drill on Friday, November 19. Although a specific time of day will not be disclosed, the scenario used will require students, staff members and teachers to shelter-in-place and lockdown. Administrative staff members will observe, direct, and release students and staff members back to regular school activities after the conclusion of the drill in an orderly, controlled manner.
- Personnel from the Union Township Life Squad, West Milton Fire Department, West Milton PD, and the Miami County Sheriff’s Office will be on-site December 9 to conduct a second drill with a more complex scenario. Students, staff members, and teachers will need to consider all ALICE options more broadly including, but not limited to, sheltering-in-place. This drill will be conducted in cooperation with and participation from emergency services and law enforcement. Police, fire, and paramedics will use the drill as an opportunity to train and prepare their personnel as well by practicing response time and establishing a perimeter around the Milton-Union campus. These emergency services will arrive quickly and likely use lights and sirens. Again, administrative staff members will observe, direct, and release students and staff members back to regular school activities after the conclusion of the drill in an orderly, controlled manner.
We understand and appreciate concern from parents, families, and community members when a variety of law enforcement and emergency vehicles are parked in front of our school buildings. In this case, we want to make our public completely aware the intent is to practice and, in doing so, work cooperatively with local law enforcement and emergency service partners. We appreciate their involvement and believe their participation helps us practice more effectively and improve safety and security for students and staff members.
If you have questions, please contact one of the building offices or Board of Education. Thank you for your continued support of the Milton-Union Schools.