lockdown training

[Sudsy]

We're planning our first one in the near future....I will be the main person speaking at a teachers' meeting about this as well as talking with the kids, if the school decides not to have the individual class teachers talk with their classes. What do they say at your school re. WHY we are doing lockdown training?

We had a meeting recently with our city's school safety officer and he said, "just tell the kids that sometimes bad people are in the neighborhood and the police need everyone to stay inside and be very quiet". I don't really like that "bad people" part, but not sure of what would be a beter way to say it.

Thanks for any help!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i don't think i necessarily take umbrage with the "bad people" part depending on the audience. To be honest, i think you can be a little more realistic as to why the lock downs are being done with about 3rd grade and up - they follow current events and have a basic understanding. You don't have to get graphic about it, but i think they can understand that a stranger in the building may have an intent to cause harm. Younger children may only need to know that there is a stranger in the building and that we're locking the doors, staying inside and staying very very quiet.

[Sudsy]

That's some good input, Flare. Thanks.

What would you say to the kids younger than 3rd grade? My school is age 2-grade 10, so I have quite a range....(also, it is very likely that a fair number of kids [certainly not all, but a fair percentage] did not hear about Newton. I work in a private religious school where many families do not get a secular newspaper or listen to/watch the news. While I'm sure the parents heard about it, I am fairly sure the administration would not want me to mention any recent events)

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I would be very careful about which age kids you assume are aware of current events. I am a parent of a 3rd grader and he knows nothing about the recent events in CT. My kids schools are having lockdown drills And both the school and I addressed it with my kids. They were told that these drills are practice. I told my kids that in case something bad happens at school they are to keep quiet, listen to their teachers and pay attention so that their teachers can keep them safe. I didn't really need to go into details because truthfully there are so many possible different scenarios you can't account for them all. Better that the kids know to keep quiet and listen to their teachers. Both my 9th and 3rd graders seemed fine with that explanation.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

Oh, i don't think you need to get into details about any of the recent events. That's unnecessary. Like I said, the children that do follow current events have an understanding of why and the children that don't will accept that the lockdown drill is being done because there is a stranger in the building. Children may have more questions, but probably won't. The entire concept is logical so they'll probably just take it at face value.