Alpine School District has standardized its procedures for responding to emergencies and keeping parents informed throughout an incident, according to a September 2 statement. The district aims to use clear communication to maintain trust with families and the community during various school disruptions.
The district manages a variety of situations, including power outages, gas leaks, and wildlife on the loose. Joe Hayes, director of operations for Alpine School District, noted that his team responded to approximately 25 emergencies or disruptions in schools last year. During that period, schools were evacuated four times and entered a secure status six times.
For more serious incidents, the district utilizes the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which provides consistent language and actions for students, staff, and first responders. When an SRP-related event occurs, district office staff can send messages to parents through text, email, and phone calls within eight minutes of the incident being reported. This allows school staff to focus on student safety while the district handles communications.
To facilitate this, the district uses the Apptegy communications platform. This tool allows emergency operations personnel to send messages on behalf of schools and monitor receipt. The platform uses preloaded templates to increase response speed and can translate messages into a recipient's preferred language. School officials noted that it is important for parents to maintain accurate contact information in Skyward to ensure they receive these updates.
The district's streamlined procedures have been in development for two years. While the district office manages the broad communication process, school administrators remain vital for building relationships and helping parents understand specific emergency procedures. Rich Stowell, communications director at Alpine School District, stated that the collaborative process helps the district respond, recover, and return to learning more quickly.
