Emergency Procedures
Emergency Procedures
Emergency response drills and equipment
OLHMS conducts regular emergency response drills such as fire, tornado, and lock-down exercises for the preparation of an actual event. Tampering with emergency response equipment and/or setting off false alarms are a violation of village ordinance and school policy.
Emergency School Closings
When the winter season arrives, it is time to give some thought to the possibility of weather that is so severe that the cancellation of school becomes a necessity. It is important for us to reiterate our general philosophy about closing schools because of inclement conditions and procedures that we will follow in the event the decision is made to cancel school on any given day.
A decision to remain open or closed is made on the basis of many considerations, but primarily on the SAFETY OF YOUR CHILDREN traveling to and from school and while they are at school.
The degree of safety is a judgment that we make as school officials and you make as parents. The general conditions of streets and sidewalks, school grounds and facilities as well as forecasts are all important factors in the decision. If school is open and you feel that it is unsafe for your child to walk to school, you should feel free to keep him/her home, with the understanding that your child will be marked absent from school.
Generally a decision about school closing is made quite early in the morning in order to take advantage of the most current weather information possible and to avoid closing when it is not necessary. If we decide to close, we immediately call the Emergency Closing Center, who in turn, passes this decision on to the radio and TV stations. The stations we would encourage you to listen to are:
AM RADIO: WGN-AM (720) WBBM-AM (780)
TV: CBS ch. 2, NBC ch. 5, ABC ch. 7, WGN ch. 9, FOX ch. 32, CLTV News
For parents who have registered with SchoolMessenger immediate emergency information will be forwarded.
Fire/Lockdown/Tornado
In the event of an emergency, either a fire alarm will be sounded or an announcement will be made. During this time, absolute silence is necessary so that everyone can hear and obey orders. Each classroom teacher will give specific instructions either to evacuate the building or to go to a designated area of the classroom or hallway. Throughout the school year, drills will be conducted so that students are familiar with these procedures.
Visitors/Security
OLHMS has a closed campus plan for the safety of our students. School doors will be closed and locked during school hours and entry may be gained only through the doors in the front vestibule. Visitors must push the security button located near the door. A parent or a parent-designee in the office must sign out students who are to be dismissed early. Any visitors in the building (including parents) must sign in and out through the office, show picture identification, and wear a visitor’s badge if they leave the office area to travel within the building.
