Spring Safety Week

 

IMPORTANT: Safety Drill Reminders

We are going to have our School Safety Week next week, so wanted to give you the information ahead of time.  All staff need to review safety procedures for themselves, and classroom teachers/specialists need to review the procedures with their students for the SEVERE WEATHER and LOCK DOWN drills this week.  I will review each of our drills (Hold, Secure, Evacuation, Severe Weather and Lockdown) on the Raider Report this week as well.  We will try to do a fire drill next week as well.

NOTE:  We now need to do TWO severe weather drills each year.  Starting next year, we will do one in the fall, and one in the spring.  This year, I will be asking you to practice (on your own) during the severe weather week, and one other time before the end of the year.

Severe Weather

Next week is designated as Severe Weather Awareness week, with a statewide Tornado Drill on Thursday, April 10th.  While we will not be doing an all-school practice at that time, staff are asked to do the following:

Please review:

• Classroom teachers: On Thursday (April 10), at your own chosen time, review the overhead message: Shelter for tornado. Go to your tornado shelter area. In addition, review the crouch position (crouch low, head down, protecting the back of the head with their arms), and visit your classroom's severe weather (tornado) location - 2024-2025 and the Tornado Review procedure.  The state tornado Drill is at 1:45, but teachers/specialists can choose to do their review at any time during the day.

• Specialists: review your location with your students
• Note: I will review lunch/recess procedures on the Raider Report next week: students will go into the hallway between Deanna's and Ryan's rooms, and near the elevator if needed.

Lockdown Drill

Classroom teachers and Specialists: Talk through the drill with your students, sometime this week

• Discuss with students that sometimes there are times when our school will have emergency situations like a fire drill, needing to stay in the classroom for a medical situation, or other emergency situations.

• Explain that this announcement would say: Lockdown! Locks, Lights, Out of Sight. You do not need to explicitly discuss active shooters, but most importantly, remind them when a lockdown occurs, all students need to listen carefully and follow the instructions of their teacher.

• Remind students that if they are in the hallway/bathroom, they need to quietly find a classroom door that is unlocked (if they can’t get into their own classroom).

• Please record your drill here: Lockdown Drill Documentation

• Optional: Here's the I Love You Guys presentation.

Building Safety

As always, continue to:

• keep outside doors closed/latched
• keep classroom doors locked so they can be quickly closed and secured
• keep an eye on entry doors (by front office) to make sure they are closed - they sometimes get propped open
• follow up with anyone in the building that does not have a badge or visitor sticker

Thank you to everyone for your diligence to this informaiton and these practices. It is always our hope that we will never have to implement any emergency procedures, but if we do, it's important that we are ready.

Forward Testing

 

Willow will begin Forward Testing this week, and will continue until April 25 )with make ups). Here is related information for those involved:

Forward Exam Schedule

Forward Exam To Do List

Forward Training Video

Additional notes:

• Testing tickets will be stored in the office for security reasons.
• Extra copies of signs and manuals are in the office.
• Please remind students to be quiet in the halls during the testing sessions (shared in the blog's daily schedule).
• Please minimize interruptions (intercom, etc.) during testing times.

Please see me with any questions. Good luck to our 3-5 students!
Sue

Check In!

 

As we start looking ahead to the end of the year, I'd like to have a chance to collect feedback one more time.  Please take a minute to complete the Rounding Survey - answering the questions:

1. What is going well?
2. What has been challenging?
3. What support can I provide?
4. Who has been helpful to you in the last few weeks?

Please complete by March 28th.  Thank you, in advance, for your thoughtful feedback.  I appreciate it!

Sue

State of our School: Willow River

 

Thank you to everyone for your contributions to our State of the School meeting last Friday!  Here are some photos that captured our success, and excitement!

And to conclude...

Christina's State of the School Anthem

Thank you for all of your hard work -

Sue