Emergency Procedures

In a serious emergency, school administrators must decide to lock down, shelter-in-place or evacuate. Practice drills are conducted on a regular basis as required by Denver Public Schools.

In the Event of a School Emergency

We understand that every parents first reaction is to come immediately to the school site to make sure their child is safe. In order to increase the chances of all students remaining safe during an emergency, we ask the following of our parents (in the event of an emergency):

DO check the DPS webpage for updated information.
DO tune into local TV/radio stations for school news alerts.
DO listen for information regarding reunification with your child.
DO contact DPS Communications at 720-423-3414 should you need to talk to someone.
Refrain from going to your child’s school. This will create traffic congestion hampering the efforts of first responders.
Refrain from calling your child or your child’s school. Excessive phone calls could jam the phone system and interfere with emergency communications.

Lock DOWN Procedures

When a threat is inside or very close to the school.
School administration secures the building and safely shelters all students, staff and visitors INSIDE the school building. A school will go on lock down if a threat is in their building or their neighborhood and endangers the occupants of the school.

School business and classroom activities cease.
NO person is allowed to enter or leave the building.
Facility Manager/Staff lock all exterior doors
Teachers/Staff lock classroom/work area doors
Staff, students, volunteers and visitors are DOWN, QUIET and OUT OF SIGHT

Lock Down Drills: Parents will receive an email notification that a Lock-Down Drill has taken place.

Lock Down: Parents will receive an email and/or phone communication from the school when feasibly possible at the end of a Lock-Down.

Lock OUT Procedures

Threat is definitely away from the school.
School administration secures the building and safely shelters all students, staff and visitors INSIDE the school building. A school will go on lock OUT if a threat is in their neighborhood and does not endanger the occupants of the school. NO person is allowed to enter or leave the building. For a Lock OUT, follow procedures for lock down except:

Interior doors DO NOT need to be locked
School business and classroom activities continue as normal

Shelter-In-Place Procedures for Severe Weather

Severe weather is any weather condition that may cause injury to students and staff or damage to structures. Different types of weather call for different type of actions. Schools will go into shelter-in-place if the threat of severe weather is in the area. Examples of severe weather are:

High winds
Thunder and lightning storms
Hail
Tornadoes

Site Administrator will monitor the National Weather Service announcements and will notify staff and students to move away from rooms on the perimeter and go to the designated Inside Safe Assembly Locations as necessary. Site Administrator will direct students and staff to take the protective kneeling position if indicated.

Evacuation

If it is unsafe for students, staff, and visitors to remain inside the building they will evacuate to designated evacuation locations on campus or off-site. The most common evacuation is a fire drill.

All students and staff will exit the school and go to designated locations.
Everyone will remain outside until the “all clear” message is given.
If students and staff need to leave school grounds, we will walk or go by bus to our designated off-site emergency evacuation locations
Students will be released to parents or guardians who are listed on the emergency card and have proper I.D.

There are two off-site emergency evacuation locations for Cory Elementary:

Merrill Middle School, 1551 S. Monroe Street, 720-424-0600
Kirk of Bonnie Brae, 1201 South Steele Street, 303-777-0343