St Clair County Schools

As we continue the 2003-04 school year, it is important to discuss the protection of your children while at school. We take our responsibility for school safety seriously and we promise to do everything reasonably possible to guard your children against any threat that may arise while they are under our care. I want to let you know about some of the steps we have taken to honor our commitment. A St. Clair County school preparedness brochure with additional instructions is being distributed by your St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).

The St. Clair County School System dedicates much time and effort to planning and practicing safety and security measures for protecting our children at each school from possible emergencies. These emergencies could be caused by events such as fires, tornadoes, intruders, industrial spills, or a chemical weapons incident at the Anniston Army Depot. Every school has a written emergency response plan for regular school hours, as well as procedures should an emergency occur while students are on buses. Teachers, staff, and students drill these plans regularly and know what to do if faced with an emergency.

All of our schools have a Tone Alert Radio to quickly warn them if necessary. Schools are also connected to the St. Clair County EMA and its Emergency Operations Center through a county-wide two-way radio system so that county/city leaders can directly handle a crisis at any school. If you have questions or need additional information about emergency response plans at your child’s school, please contact the school administrators directly.

You also are a key part of preparedness planning. In case of an emergency, please do not come to school to pick up your child and do not call the school. The reason is that your presence at the school – and even your concerned phone call – could divert school staff away from student safety and place yourself and others at risk. Instead, please tune to your local Emergency Alert System radio station (WJCK FM 88.3, WTDR FM 92.7, WMJJ FM 96.5, WVOK FM 97.9, WZZK FM 104.7, WURL AM 760, and WFHK AM 1430) or television station (FOX 6, Cable 12, NBC 13, ABC 33/40, and CBS 42) to get the latest information about what steps we are taking to protect your child and to learn what safety actions you should take at home or work.

Studies show that children are more likely to get hurt outside of school than when they are with us. To increase your child’s safety outside of school, I urge you to discuss your Family Emergency Preparedness Plan with each of your children and to quiz them every six months on how to protect themselves. Your children rely on you to teach them what to do if faced with an emergency when they are alone. Preparedness is key to surviving an emergency, including the unlikely event of an incident at the depot involving chemical weapons. You are always welcome to contact the St. Clair County EMA at 205-884-6800 for answers to any questions about how to prepare for emergencies.

Sincerely,

Jenny Seals, Superintendent