Campus Safety

Things you should do: 

• Have a valid form of identification. 
• Check into the front office (PYP or Secondary Building) every time you visit.  
• Always wear your visitor badge while on campus. 
• Report any suspicious activity. 
• Report anyone you see walking around campus without a visitor badge from the front office. 
• Follow the campus emergency procedures and staff directions.

We ask that you do not allow anyone to piggyback into secured areas of the school. Remember, safety first, it is not discourteous to refuse to violate security practices.  

• If there is an emergency, wait for official instructions that will be communicated using the Westlake Academy website, Facebook account, email, phone call, and/or text message. The message will inform you of what has happened and what you should do (if anything).
• Do not call the school. Phone lines and staff are needed for emergency response efforts.
• Do not go to the school unless instructed to do so. During emergency situations, school parking lots may be designated evacuation locations, or they may be within the emergency area and unsafe for anyone except first responders. Additionally, roads clogged by traffic may prevent emergency vehicles from getting to an emergency.
•  If you are asked to pick up your student, the reunification site, and the time when you can meet your student, will be announced by school officials using the school website, Facebook, email, phone call, and text message.

The hold command is called to clear hallways, even during class changes.  The hold command may occur to allow emergency medical services and first responders a clear path while responding to a medical emergency and to prevent students and staff from unnecessary exposure to the incident. 

The secure command is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. The public announcement for secure is, “Secure! Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors. No One In – No One Out.” The SECURE command may occur during violence, criminal activity in the immediate neighborhood, or a dangerous animal in the playground. The secure command uses the security of the physical facility as protection. 

The lockdown command is called when there is a threat or hazard inside the school building. The public announcement for lockdown is, “Lockdown! Locks, Lights, Out of Sight!”  A lockdown may occur in the event of a parental custody dispute, school intruder, or active shooter situation. 

The evacuate command is called when students need to be moved from one location to another. The evacuate protocols demand students and staff move in an orderly fashion to a pre-determined evacuation assembly point. Fire drills are considered evacuation drills. The public announcement for evacuation is: “Evacuate! To a Location.” For instance, “Evacuate! To the Flagpole. Evacuate! To the Flagpole." Students will remain at the evacuation location until the “All Clear” command is given by Administrators or Security.

The shelter command is called when the need for personal protection is necessary. Training should also include spontaneous events such as tornadoes, earthquakes, or hazmat. The public announcement for shelter should include the hazard and the safety strategy. The public addresses are 1. Shelter for Severe Weather! Drop, Cover and Hold (If time permits move to pre-determined shelter locations) and 2. Shelter for Hazmat. Students and staff are held in the building, windows and doors are closed, and all ventilation systems are shut off. Limited movement is allowed. Shelter-in-place is most effective during emergencies involving hazardous materials which produce toxic vapors outside of the facility.