Safety Protocols
Our utmost priority is the safety of both students and staff. The Met is firmly committed to consistently evaluating and enhancing school safety. We also acknowledge the vital necessity of keeping students, families, and staff well-informed in the event of emergencies.
Emergency Response Protocols
HOLD
Clear the hallways and common areas.
There are situations that require students and staff to remain in their classrooms or stay out of access areas. For example, an altercation in the hallway may require keeping students out of the halls until it is resolved. A medical issue may require a room to be cleared and an exit route open and clear in case outside medical assistance is required. There may be a need for students who are not in a classroom to proceed to an area where they can be supervised and remain safe.SECURE
Get Inside. Lock Outside doors.
The secure action is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. Whether it's due to activity in the neighborhood or a dangerous animal in the area, the security of the physical facility acts as protection.
LOCKDOWN
Lock doors, lights out, get out of sight.
Lockdown is called when there is an immediate threat or hazard inside the school building. Lockdown uses classroom and school security actions to protect students and staff from the threat.
Communication During an Emergency
A school emergency can be a stressful experience for any parent or guardian. At The Met, our commitment is to keep you informed during such critical situations. Please understand that obtaining specific information during an emergency can take time because the primary focus of our staff and authorities is ensuring the safety of everyone involved. As soon as our staff and authorities can provide information, we will relay it to families as swiftly as possible. To facilitate this communication, updates will be distributed through Global Calls or SMS text messages. Please make sure that you maintain up-to-date contact information with your student's school.
Emergency situations
-
When a school is placed in “LOCKDOWN” or “SECURE” because of a safety concern, the school will notify families of the situation via SMS text message as soon as possible.
-
Families are asked to please understand that full details will likely be unavailable in the early stages of the situation because building leaders are busy ensuring the safety of students and staff.
-
An update will be sent to families via SMS text and Global Call when the situation has been resolved, and regular school activity resumes.
-
The school will provide a follow-up letter within 24 hours of the event with additional context of the incident and details of the school’s response.
What parents and guardians should do during an emergency
For the safety of everyone involved please follow these recommendations during an emergency situation:
-
Do not come to the school. A crowd can distract staff and first responders from the duties necessary to keep students and staff safe.
-
Do not call the school or your student's advisor. They will likely be busy with the drill or actual emergency.
-
Do not contact students or staff members via cell phone or social media. They will be receiving instructions from a staff member or from authorities during an actual emergency.
-
Avoid social media posts about the emergency situation. Information on social media can be highly unreliable and spread quickly. The correct information will be disseminated by the Met as soon as possible.
-
Please make sure the contact information on file with your child’s school is current at all times so that you can be reached without delay in the event of an emergency.
-
In the event of an actual emergency evacuation, you will receive notification on where to pick up your child as soon as possible.
-
If you have any questions regarding safety drills or other safety concerns, please contact your school principal.