Parent Resources for School Safety

Our goal is to promote a safe and secure learning environment that is further strengthened and reinforced through partnerships with students, staff, parents, and the community.

See something. Say something.

To report a safety concern, please:

Call District Safety Department: (760) 352-5712 ext. 8556 or ext. 8557
Email District Safety Director at [email protected]

To report an emergency, please call 911.

How Parents will Hear in an Emergency Situation

*Links below to printable versions.

Parent's Role in an Emergency

Stay Home – Parents are advised not to come to the school. You may endanger yourself or your child by arriving at the school. School district personnel and First Responders will be working hard to control the situation and protect your children. Law Enforcement will be focused on the critical task of keeping your child safe.
Stay informed – School district personnel will provide information as soon as possible. Some situations take time to verify accurate information. School district personnel will communicate throughout the situation in several ways: District communication system, ParentSquare, District social media, or local news media. Please do not call the school as you likely will not get an answer, or you could be pulling staff away from the emergency.
Be ready – In case a reunification is necessary, you’ll be informed when and where to pick up your child. Please bring a photo ID and be patient. The process takes time, and it’s essential to stay calm. The reunification process protects the safety of students and provides for an accountable exchange of custody from the school to a recognized parent or guardian.
Hold off on calling or texting your student - Parents will be notified with updates on the situation promptly. When it’s safe to do so, students will be allowed to text their parent(s) during a crisis, if applicable. You should NOT call or text a student’s cell phone during a problem unless you’ve heard from them first and know it’s safe to text back. You may be placing your child at risk. Students are trained to stay out of sight and quiet during a Lockdown. A phone ringing or vibrating could alert an intruder to the student’s location.
Make a Plan - Talk to your children about school safety. Review how you will communicate, where you will go, and safety steps during an emergency as a family.

How to Support your Child After a Tragedy

In the aftermath of a tragedy, it’s normal to feel sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, or any mix of these emotions. It's essential to keep an eye on each other and reach out to family, friends, or counselors if you notice warning signs that someone is feeling hopeless or depressed. The signs could include withdrawing and isolating oneself, not sleeping or sleeping all the time, and talking about death or dying.

Keep in mind that everyone responds to a tragedy differently. You, your child, and your children may react differently to trauma. Different emotions, such as crying, anger, or nervous laughter, are all acceptable ways to respond. Children will often be sad one minute and off playing the next. They often bring up the event at unexpected times, such as, at the grocery store, in the car, or right before you drop them off at a friend’s house.

Strategies:

Talk to your child: Let your child talk about the event. Sharing the event over and over can support their recovery. Take their lead on how much they are talking about or saying. Remind them they are safe and be reassuring. Tips for Parents and Teachers on how to talk to your children about violence.
Spend time together: Children need to feel safe. Taking time to spend together as a family can support recovery. Being together can help children feel safe and connected. Provide extra affection and reassurance.
Reduce exposure to media: This is especially important for young children (ages 4-9), even if they are in the next room. Continued exposure to the coverage of an event can create more anxiety, cause them to believe the event is still occurring, and inhibit their ability to move past the trauma.
Keep structures in place at home: Try to maintain similar routines and structures at home, such as regular bedtime, meals, and activities as much as possible. Keeping the same family rules can provide comfort in times of tragedy. Although we often feel like lightening up on rules at this time, providing this structure can help children feel safe and secure.
Teach your child coping strategies and breathing exercises: Teaching your child healthy ways to cope with stress is a great way to support your child. Deep breathing, journaling, drawing a picture, and listening to music are all ways to keep coping. Children will find comfort in learning how you also handle stress in healthy ways.
Access professional help: Seek support immediately if your child is having thoughts of suicide or harming themselves, panic attacks, or seeing/hearing things that aren’t there. Your school counselor and school mental health provider are at the school to support your family and discuss more ideas on how to assist your child after a trauma. Several external resources are available to help students and families in crisis.

Below are handouts from the National Association of School Psychologists with tips for parents and educators on talking to children about violence.