During an emergency, our focus is keeping students and staff safe. Schools will update families with important information as it becomes available. Please follow these protocols:
Do Not Call Your Child's School:
- Your concern is understood and respected
- The phone system must remain open for emergency use
Do Not Contact Your Child's Cell Phone:
- Avoid calling or texting to prevent interference with emergency procedures
Do Not Come to the School Unless Instructed:
- Streets and parking must be clear for emergency vehicles
- If evacuation is necessary, students may be relocated to a pre-identified location
- Updates will be provided via the Grande Prairie Public School Division's website and social media.
- Visit gppsd.ab.ca
- Follow @GPPSD2357 on Facebook or X/Twitter
- You can also listen to local radio stations or follow their social media accounts
If Present During an Emergency, Follow Established Protocols:
- Follow site protocols if you arrive or are within a school during an emergency.
- The safety of students and staff is our focus; individual requests that compromise safety will not be accommodated
Watch for Updates:
- Alert banner on School Division website: www.gppsd.ab.ca; please continue to refresh your website browser to see the latest update
- Follow @GPPSD2357 on Facebook or X/Twitter; updates will be posted as soon as possible
To prepare all members of the School community, including your child, to act on a moment’s notice, we conduct emergency practice drills at the school. These drills, which occur on a periodic basis throughout the year, cover a variety of circumstances. In addition to practicing the drills, we also discuss with the students the appropriate actions to take during a number of emergencies. These drills and accompanying discussions are designed to prepare your child to act quickly and to minimize your child’s fear should an emergency occur.
Under some circumstances, it may be determined that dismissing students to their homes and families unexpectedly. If this happens, every attempt will be made to alert the parents/guardians or emergency contact for each student and ensure young students are not left unsupervised.
Our focus is to ensure student safety and staff; specific procedures have been established for releasing students.
In some emergencies, enhanced student release procedures may be established. Parents/Guardians will be notified when this occurs and asked to adhere to the Parent-Child Reunification Procedures listed below.
Staff will work hard to ensure these procedures take place without delay. However, please understand the process will still take some time. We ask for your patience when you arrive at the Parent-Child Reunion Area.
- A Parent-Child Reunion Area will be established. Parents/Guardians will be notified at the time of the emergency of the Reunion Area’s location. The location may not be at the school — the location will depend on the specifics of the emergency.
- You will be required to fill out a Student Release Request Form. This ensures all students are accounted for at all times, and students are only released to authorized individuals.
- Students will only be released to an individual designated as a legal parent, guardian or emergency contact, completed at the time of school registration. Please keep this information current with your school, as the school will only release a child to someone listed as an Emergency Contact — there will be no exceptions.
- Valid identification is required to pick up your child. This is necessary to protect your child from unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up students. Even if school personnel know you, you must still present your I.D. as the school may receive assistance from other schools or outside agencies.
- You will be required to sign for the release of your child. This is extremely important, as it ensures your child, along with other students, is accounted for at all times. Please do not just take your child from the school or evacuation center without signing for his/her release.
- Once you have been reunited with your child, please leave the area immediately. This is for your own safety and that of your child.
If you are unable to pick up your child, they will be kept at the Parent-Child Reunion Area until alternate arrangements can be made. Your child will be supervised at all times. If you require this support, do not call the school. Call GPPSD's central office at 780-532-4491.
