Communicating SIP in Schools

The manual “Practical Information on Crisis Planning: a Guide for Schools and Communities” (U.S. Department of Education, 2007) describes how to craft messages for students and staff and how to preplan with parents so that they know what will happen and what they should and should not do in order to keep their children safe.

Parents should be told the difference between a lockdown and SIP. A school is locked down when a crisis occurs outside of the school and an evacuation would be dangerous, or when there is a crisis inside (such as an active shooter) and movement within the school would put students in jeopardy.