Through a collaboration with the district office, Belmont Police and Fire Departments, we have engaged in a review of our safety measures, and are continuing to identify and plan additional steps for improvement. In continuation of those efforts to improve the emergency response protocols at Belmont Middle School, we will conduct an announced evacuation drill on Wednesday, October 9. We have already begun preparation of our evacuation site with clearer, more visible signage, and added points of egress to improve movement. Leading up to the drill, we are reviewing expectations with staff, providing explicit instruction to students on the guidelines of a safe and efficient evacuation, and implementing clearer communication channels and roles for our emergency response team. The drill will be a good opportunity to practice each of these components.
At the outset of the evacuation drill, families can expect to receive an announcement through Thrillshare and via SMS. You should also have received a test SMS on Thursday, 10/3. This will be our primary channel for notifying parents and guardians of the activation of our emergency protocols, and the drill presents an appropriate rehearsal setting to align the timing and execution of those messages. Additionally, we will simulate the early stages of an immediate dismissal (though students will not be dismissed early on 10/9). Once attendance is taken by class and all students are accounted for, classroom teachers will take note of each individual student's dismissal route/transportation option to rendezvous with a caregiver and/or travel home. This documentation will be important to refer to in situations where a parent/guardian is attempting to track their student's whereabouts post-dismissal. Following Wednesday's drill, we will communicate the results with the BMS community.
To prepare for next week, it's recommended that families review with your student their route home or a meet up point with a caregiver off campus. You can also still submit the form to authorize your child's immediate dismissal in an emergency evacuation. (NOTE: The authorization form is applicable to immediate dismissal during emergency evacuations only. Our general dismissal policy continues to apply to dismissals related to illness, doctor's appointments, etc.)