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Explaining GFPS safety procedures

Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS)
Posted at 11:09 AM, Oct 07, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-07 17:38:01-04

GREAT FALLS — We have received several reports of some public schools in Great Falls implementing lockdown and/or shelter-in-place procedures on the morning of Thursday, October 7, 2021. The schools we received reports about are Riverview Elementary School, North Middle School, and the Skyline school.

We are trying to get information from GFPS about the accuracy of these reports, and if confirmed, find out if they were for actual threats, or for training purposes. At this point, we have not received any confirmed reports of threats, dangers, or injuries in any of the schools.

Here is an overview of GFPS safety procedures:

  • Evacuation: Defined as an internal emergency that requires students and staff to leave the building for their safety.  Parents should follow emergency notifications.
  • Lockdown: Defined as an internal and/or immediate threat.  All staff and students are locked in rooms.  No one IN or OUT!
  • Shelter In Place: Defined as a safety precaution for an external threat that is not an immediate or internal threat.Class Hold: Defined as a safety precaution implemented during an incident where students need to be kept in the classroom.
  • Release with Care: Defined as a possible threat in the schools’ neighborhoods during arrival and release time. Release with care procedures:
    • To ensure safety, the building administrator may ask staff to escort students to/from buses or waiting cars.
    • Staff may also be asked to accompany students home.

Click here to visit the Safety page on the GFPS website for more information.

We will update you if we get word from GFPS about this morning’s activities.

GFPS SAFETY PROCEDURES DEFINITIONS
GFPS SAFETY PROCEDURES DEFINITIONS