Safety and security among top priorities

The safety and security of students and employees is a top priority at Longview Public Schools. Many Longview business owners are parents of students enrolled in Longview schools and know that our district is constantly striving to improve safety so that our students and staff feel secure in their buildings and parents feel at ease knowing their kids are safe at school. Our safety and security program is much more than providing secure campuses, it also encompasses emergency response. This column is meant to provide information about the steps our district takes to communicate during an emergency. These steps prioritize student safety and the notification of staff, families and community.

Often the emergency actions we take in our schools are due to things occurring near our schools that could potentially affect our campuses. For example, a dangerous suspect on the loose, a nearby mental health crisis, or a potential threat nearby. In these cases, we work closely with Longview Police personnel to make the best decisions possible to keep our students and employees safe. Sometimes schools will be asked to “secure and teach” which means to bring students inside where doors are already locked and continue teaching like normal. Other times we might need to keep students past release time until the “all clear” is given from police. We do this because we do not want students near an active police scene or potentially dangerous situation.

Anytime we decide to implement emergency protocols, it sets in motion our risk communication protocols, with the goal to get information out to those who need it, as quickly as possible. In the era of instant communication and the expectation for real time information, this is especially challenging because the situations we deal with are constantly changing and there are many moving parts to normal school operations that have to be halted and redirected quickly. Once the decision to implement emergency protocols is made, the following steps are taken to communicate with stakeholders:

1. Communication is provided to affected school personnel (principals, teachers, support staff), primarily in a brief explanation and instructions.

2. Service personnel scheduled to work at that campus are notified and provided instructions.

3. Neighboring district schools receive notification if their operations could be impacted, i.e. – evacuation of students

For more Longview Schools see page 25 off campus.

4. Parents and guardians of students in the effected schools are notified using a variety of methods.

5. Information is posted to the district website and social media.

6. Press release is sent to the media, if warranted.

7. Updates are sent out until the situation is resolved. We make every attempt to notify students, parents, and staff prior to sending information out to the community. We encourage parents to update their contact information annually and provide their email addresses and cell phone numbers, so they receive emergency alerts when issues arise.

I hope this information has shed light on how we prioritize and send out notifications when we activate our emergency protocols during school hours.

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to THANK the following loyal members for renewing their partnership with us this month.

All Out Sewer and Drain Service, Inc

Community Home Health and Hospice

Day Wireless Systems

Heritage Bank – Longview

Interstate Wood Products, Inc

Lower Columbia College

Lower Columbia Contractors Association

McCord Bros. Nissan Dodge

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What are the largest contributors to your electric bill?

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Heating and air conditioning and water heating! These two together represent an estimated 70% of your overall electric bill costs.

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Ductless Heat Pump (DHP)

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McDonald's of Longview – Ocean Beach

Minuteman Press

Pacific Fibre Products, Inc

Paperbacks Galore, Inc

Retirement Strategies

ServPro of Longview/Kelso

Signature Transport, Inc

VCA Ocean Beach Animal Hospital No. 470

Waste Control Recycling, Inc

Woodford Commercial Real Estate

City of Longview

MaryAlice Wallis Mayor