School Procedures

Please note Skwo:wech Elementary not provide after-school supervision. If you’re delayed at dismissal, please make alternate arrangements with family, friends, or another parent.

If someone else is picking up your child, please inform the teacher in the morning and ensure that person is listed as an emergency contact. Also let your child know about the change.

For the sake of student safety, all visitors must sign in at the office and wear a visitor or parent tag while in the building.

We also ask parents to wait outside at dismissal time for their children.

If you’re dropping off lunch, please leave it at the office, clearly labelled with your child’s name and division. Let your child know in advance and be sure to include any needed utensils.

For safety reasons, parents should not deliver lunches directly to classrooms.

Always use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.

Do not drop off or walk through the staff parking lots.

If possible, park a block or two away and walk your child to school.

Vehicle drop-off is available only on the upper end of School Street and along the back portion of Devoy Street.

Suggested drop-off route

Help us be good neighbours by not block driveways or crosswalks.

Travel north on Devoy Street, turn right onto School Street, and use the passenger drop-off zone.

Please avoid driving on Archer Street during pick-up and drop-off times. It becomes congested and lacks safe turnaround space.

Students riding skateboards, scooters, bicycles, etc. must wear a helmet. Skateboards are not allowed be ridden on school grounds during school hours and must be stored in the classroom.

Adults are not allowed to use student washrooms for security reasons.

For emergencies, please ask at the office for directions to the adult washroom.

Please note some students may have severe, life-threatening allergies to peanuts and tree nuts.

To keep everyone safe, we ask families to support our efforts to be a peanut- and tree nut–aware school:

• Teach your child to wash his/her hands with soap and water before and after eating. This helps stop food from getting on other things like desks, toys and books. Washing hands is good for everyone, as it can also help reduce the spread of colds and flu.
• Teach your child not to share his/her food, drinks or eating utensils with others. Many children love to share. Teach children to share non-food items instead (e.g. toys, stickers, games).
• Talk to a school staff member about “allergy aware” health and safety for more information.
  

Used if there is a security concern in the school’s neighbourhood.

Hold and secure protects school occupants from danger in the neighbourhood or community outside. For example, a police incident in the immediate area, suspicious strangers on school grounds, or protests/civil disturbances nearby.

Used if an environmental hazard may affect the school.

Shelter in place shields staff and students from hazardous conditions outdoors by holding them inside the school. This action is often initiated in response to environmental or weather-related events (e.g. smoke/chemical/airborne contaminants, severe weather, dangerous animals, etc.) and typically requires closing the school’s exterior doors and windows and shutting off ventilation systems.

Used in response to an armed or dangerous assailant inside the school.

Lockdowns are implemented to protect school occupants from a dangerous individual inside the building. For example, a person with a knife, firearm, or other weapon who is threatening to harm or is in the process of harming people.

Used in the event of an earthquake, explosion, or any incident that causes the building to shake.

Drop, cover, and hold on is used for emergencies where there is an immediate, physical impact on the school that causes its internal contents (e.g. furniture, books, etc.) to move around in ways that may cause injuries.

Used to relocate occupants out of the building when a hazard exists inside. Evacuation instructions are issued in the event of fires, earthquakes, hazardous spills, etc. or as required after a lockdown or drop, cover, and hold on order. Staff must be aware of evacuation routes and designated assembly areas.