Dear Parents and Guardians,

The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority for HALIFAX WEST and the Halifax Regional School Board. We have been implementing a number of measures as part of a comprehensive plan aimed at ensuring our school remains a safe place for our students to learn.

One of the procedures our school will be practicing is a lockdown drill. During a lockdown drill, classroom doors are secured and the students remain inside the room until instructed by the teacher to resume their activities. All exterior doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or leave the building.

Students are kept inside the school and classrooms when circumstances make it safer to stay in the classroom rather than evacuate. Just as we prepare our students to properly respond to a fire drill, they also need to be aware of the proper response during a lockdown drill. These drills should be treated with the same level of importance as fire drills.

Please be assured that staff at our school will spend time discussing the importance of this procedure with students prior to running a drill. We will also take time after the drill to remind them that it was only a practice and there was no danger. When possible, our School Liaison Officer may assist us in conducting the lockdown drills just as the Fire Department assists with evacuation drills.

In the event of an actual lockdown, parents are reminded not to call the school or drive to the school. Instead, they must go to Soccer Nova Scotia where communications personnel will be available to provide information.

In the event of an actual lockdown, parents are reminded not to call the school or drive to the school. It's also important not to call or text your child, since a ringing cell phone may draw unwanted or unsafe attention. Instead, they must go to Soccer Nova Scotia where communications personnel will be available to provide information