my school WAS ON FIRE today!

[GreensMom]

Holy cow our school was on fire today. Fire department, evacuation to the high school building, sent the kids home. The whole deal.

Fourth grade was in their specials (music, gym, etc). The 4th grade teachers were all in one room having cake as a welcome back party for one of our collegues who had been out. We thought it was a drill and almost didn't go until I realized it was raining and we never have a fire drill in the rain.

Got outside to find the building was actually on fire! We evacuated to the high school building and had to dismiss the students. The high school students were on lock down. District handled it very well. We had all the kids home, we had a faculty meeting, and were home by 1:10PM. The alarm went off at 9:36AM. So I got out early that is the bright side.

[Rebecca]

Wow! I'm glad everyone is okay. How did it catch on fire?

[suplese]

oh wow, you've had an exciting friday! Glad everyone is safe and sound, is there damage to the school?

[jocap]

What on earth caused that? Hope everyone's OK!
Jo.

[GreensMom]

a student set it

http://www.wnep.com/

[Brandon M]

Wow, that kid is in big trouble. Glad everyone is safe and nobody was hurt.

[GreensMom]

Yes he is in big trouble. State police kind of trouble.
So sad really.

[trickytrip]

wow, I think it is funny that everyone was going to keep enjoying the cake.

[GreensMom]

(11-05-2010 01:49 PM)trickytrip Wrote:  wow, I think it is funny that everyone was going to keep enjoying the cake.

sad aren't we?

[Vicky]

Glad everyone is ok, the student is going to be in alot of trouble, hope the building didn't get to damaged.

[joanne/shads]

what a way to start a weekend so glad everyone safe hope the damage isnt too bad

[GreensMom]

Everyone is fine and although I work there may I say a fine job was done by everyone from the administration to the lunch ladies everyone was deployed into service.

[suplese]

I need a copy of your emergency plan and releasing students early. Our elementary school cancelled school at noon one day last year due to snow (I actually think it was so they could practice), it was absolute pandemonium. I have 5 kids at the school, I think I got 12 or 15 phone calls as to wether they should ride the bus or if I would be picking them up (they all have a card on file to ride their bus home) about 2 hours after they released the kids, the bus finally showed up. It was not the most orchestrated thing they have ever done.

Kudos to your school and the staff for handling everything so well!

[MySkip]

Glad to hear everyone is Ok...

I can hear parents saying... "Oh no, what am I going to do... no school..."
and...
I can hear the kids saying... "Oh! What am I going to do... NO SCHOOL... YAY!!!

Long weekend huh?

[GreensMom]

(11-05-2010 07:03 PM)suplese Wrote:  I need a copy of your emergency plan and releasing students early. Our elementary school cancelled school at noon one day last year due to snow (I actually think it was so they could practice), it was absolute pandemonium. I have 5 kids at the school, I think I got 12 or 15 phone calls as to wether they should ride the bus or if I would be picking them up (they all have a card on file to ride their bus home) about 2 hours after they released the kids, the bus finally showed up. It was not the most orchestrated thing they have ever done.

Kudos to your school and the staff for handling everything so well!

Thanks very much. I do think it went well. Looking back I actually do not think there was anything we could or should have done differently.
As far as contacting parents, a few years ago our school invested in a computerized notification system. Every year every parent fills out a form for every child. They designate a contact path of 6 phone numbers and/or emails to contact them. When you get the call or email you have to acknowledge receipt or they keep calling the path until you do. Every parent in our school can be contacted in a matter of 15 minutes.

Now, of course we still had to make some calls yesterday. For example one of my kids wasn't sure what to do because her parents are at work and the house is locked. I assured her that her parents had been contacted but called her mom just to reassure the girl so she wasn't worried.