TDSB schools are required to practise lockdown drills two times every school year, however, a real lockdown would only be used in a serious emergency situation where there is a threat inside or very near to the school.
A lockdown requires that all students be kept in their classrooms or in other designated areas away from the possible threat. A lockdown minimizes access and visibility in a effort to shelter students, teachers, staff and visitors in secure locations. During a lockdown, classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off, blinds are closed and all interior windows are covered.
As you can imagine, lockdown drills can be a somewhat alarming for young children when they are first introduced in the early grades. Although I tried my best to assure my students that real lockdowns are extremely rare and can happen for a wide variety of reasons (e.g. wild animals on school property, police notification of nearby situation, etc.) some students knew of stories involving dangerous strangers that they had heard about through friends, family or the media. Seeing as this is a sensitive topic, please take a few minutes to discuss lockdowns with your child in order to address any fears or concerns that he or she may have. Although it is an unfortunate reality that the need for lockdown drills in schools does exist, as with fire drills, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Thank you for your understanding and assistance with this manner.
Sincerely,
Ms. Janice Bednarz
