I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

As Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates mentioned in her letter last week, the district will begin utilizing a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation this school year. This SRP is used in over 50,000 schools, districts, departments, agencies, organizations and communities around the world and it has been implemented in schools in nearly every state across the country.

I wanted to share with you some additional details about the five actions in this SRP – Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter – and give you an example of when these might be used. We will conduct drills and train students & staff in this protocol, however it is also important for you to have an understanding of these actions and what they mean.

We believe that these actions will help eliminate confusion that has been experienced in previous years. Particularly the terms “lockout” and “lockdown” were often confused, which led to unnecessary panic and worry among students, parents and staff.

For more detailed information, please see the Standard Response Protocol K-12 Operational Guidance on the I Love U Guys website.

Hold
What is a Hold action?
The Hold Action is used when the hallways in the school need to remain clear. Classroom learning will still take place as normal during a Hold, but students may not be able to change classes until after the Hold has been lifted.

Examples of Hold conditions:
• A medical issue that needs attention
• An altercation in a hallway
• Unfinished maintenance in a common area during passing period

Secure
What is the Secure action?
The Secure Action is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. Secure uses the security of the physical facility to act as protection. During Secure, all students and staff are brought into the secure building and all exterior doors are locked. Classes are able to continue uninterrupted inside the building. In year’s past, we would have referred to this situation as a “lockout”.

Examples of Secure conditions:
• An unknown or unauthorized person on the grounds
• Dangerous animal on or near the grounds
• Police activity in the area

Lockdown
What is the Lockdown action?
Lockdown is called when there is a threat or hazard inside the school building. The Lockdown Action advises making rooms look unoccupied by locking individual classroom doors, offices, and other securable areas, moving occupants out of the line of sight of corridor windows, turning off lights, and having occupants maintain silence.

Examples of Lockdown conditions:
• Intruder
• Active assailant
• Dangerous animal within a school building 
• An angry or violent individual in the school building
• Report of a weapon

Evacuate
What is the Evacuate action?
Evacuate is called when there is a need to move people from one location to another for safety reasons. During an evacuation, students and staff are asked to move from one location to another in an orderly fashion.

Examples of Evacuate conditions:
• Gas leak
• Bomb threat
• Power outage
• Mechanical failure

Shelter
What is the Shelter action?
Shelter is called when specific protective actions are needed based on a threat or hazard. Sheltering requires that all students and staff follow response directives based on the threat or hazard.

Examples of Shelter conditions:
• Severe weather, such as a tornado, strong thunderstorm or flooding
• Wildfire
• Hazmat spill or release

Thank you for your attention to this information. Should you have any questions about this SRP, please reach out to your child’s principal or feel free to contact me at paul.croft@owassops.org.

Sincerely,

Paul Croft
Director of Safety & Security
Owasso Public Schools