Los Perales Elementary

Update the school's emergency form listing people to notify in case of emergency. Students will only be released to these people.

Make certain the person who is responsible for your child has any necessary medication.

Become knowledgeable in first aid procedures. Keep a first aid kit available.

Have a flashlight and a battery-powered radio. Mark KCBS 740 on the dial.

Know the location of electricity, gas and water valves and how/when to turn them off.

Have your family participate in earthquake drills. Develop and practice a family disaster plan.

Teach your child how to recognize danger signals such as smoke detectors, fire alarms and local community warning systems.

Explain how and when to call for help. Help your child memorize important family information: name, address, phone number, and where to meet in case of an emergency.

Keep emergency preparedness kits up-to-date and stocked for at least 72 hours of food and water.

Have a fire extinguisher. Check it annually.

Keep emergency phone lists updated. Choose an out-of-state friend or relative who you and your family members can call after an emergency to report your whereabouts and conditions.

Please do not call the school, transportation department or district office. Phone lines, if working, will be used for emergency communication.

Students may or may not be sent home during a crisis. The school and school district will keep parents and the public informed through ParentBroadcast.

No child will be dismissed from school unless a parent or approved designee comes for him or her. All parents or approved designees who come for their children must show picture identification before signing out the student.

Schools are likely to be one of the safest places that children could be located during most crises or natural disasters. Staff members will remain with the children until all have been reunited with their parents or approved designees.

School children may be moved to a different school site if the crisis is localized.

Bus riders will remain with their drivers. If a child has been let off at his or her regular bus stop prior to the disaster, you should expect to find your child at home. For children who are still on the bus, the driver will make his or her way back to the school as conditions permit.

Buses will drive by AM stops, if safe to do so, and pick up any children waiting there. They will be transported to school as conditions permit.

If it is too hazardous to move the bus, children will remain on the bus until help arrives.

Is the district storing extra food, water and supplies for an emergency? Yes, LP has stored extra food, water and supplies for the three days. We will also rely on food, water and supplies form neighborhood homes, and if necessary, local grocery stores.

How are teachers and staff prepared for an emergency? In the event that children must remain in school during an emergency, teachers will conduct lessons and class time as usual. Dependent upon their safety, children will be allowed to move about the buildings as long as they are out of harm’s way. All non-teaching staff members will provide support and resources as needed, including extra supervision of students and assistance with phone calls and communication activities with parents and emergency personnel. The principal has discussed the district’s emergency response plans with faculty and staff.

How will the school respond to an emergency? When the Superintendent or designee determines that an emergency has occurred, there are five possible plans of action:

If there is an evacuation where will students go? In the event that students must be moved to an alternate location, the school will attempt to reach all parents to advise them of the alternate location site. Planned locations may include Plaza de Amigos playground (on campus) and Willow Spring Field (on campus, lower field). Each school has plans for alternative locations. Depending upon the circumstances of the emergency, these plans may be utilized.

1. Students who leave school: If it is necessary for students to leave school due to an emergency, school staff will follow a developed plan to make sure that each child is released at a specified location on campus to a parent(s) or guardian(s), relative or other person designated by the parent.

2. Students who remain at school: If a parent/guardian or designee cannot pick up children for an extended period of time, students will remain under supervision until the parent/guardian arrives at school. However, children should be picked up as soon as possible. If necessary, students may be moved to another school or an off-campus site for greater safety.

Are there emergency planning drills?
Yes, drills are conducted at various times during the school year in order to give students and staff practice in what to do during an emergency. Fire drills are held monthly. Four earthquake drills and two intruder drills are held annually. Additional drills and simulations will be conducted by each school’s emergency team – under the direction of the principal – throughout the year. The District believes that response is best when everybody knows their role and has had an opportunity to practice.

Should I pick up my child during an emergency?
We strongly encourage parents NOT to come to the school during an emergency unless directed to do so. While every person’s natural instinct in an emergency is to go to the school to safeguard his/her child, please understand that doing so may significantly reduce the school’s ability to respond to the situation. In addition, going to the school may interfere with police or other emergency workers whose sole purpose is to assure the safety and well being of students and staff. Vehicles driven to the school, for example, may restrict access for emergency vehicles and/or school buses that are loading children for evacuation or to take them home. The school’s staff will be actively working at all times to ensure the safety of all students. While it may seem logical that every student taken home by a parent reduces the workload of the staff, in a fast-moving crisis that requires careful coordination and communication, extra vehicles and visitors to the school may actually make the task of keeping track of all students exceptionally difficult and potentially dangerous.

Where can I get information during an emergency?
Chances are that you may not be able to reach the school by telephone in a real emergency. Past experiences indicate that staff must react to the emergency first. District telephone lines will be busy with personnel who need to communicate with emergency services. Therefore, it is important that you do not try calling the school. The District’s web site, www.moraga.k12.ca.us will post updates throughout the course of an emergency. If necessary, the news media will be contacted and kept up-to-date on all developments, and will be asked to broadcast important information. We will, however, be making every effort to contact parents, using the ParentBroadcast system. Principals have a separate copy of every child’s contact information that they will keep with them during an emergency. The Superintendent and/or principal may ask the PTA to assist in disseminating information. Do not call 911 for information as this is meant for reporting emergencies only.

Please do be sure to listen to the entire message;

There is no need to call the school unless you have other concerns (keeping in mind that the school phone gets extremely busy during these times);

All phone numbers and e-mail addresses you entered during the online PTA registration in August will be contacted, so if your cell phone does not work be sure to check one of these other sources if possible;

Please contact the school office to update, add or delete any contact information (the online registration program is closed at this time).