Safety and Security

North Shore School District 112 maintains a crisis plan, which undergoes regular evaluation in collaboration with the police and fire departments of Highland Park and Highwood. This plan is continually adapted to align with the latest best practices and emergency procedures. Additionally, the principals of each school within the district perform a regular review to incorporate any necessary updates specific to their individual sites.

The Illinois School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128 School Safety Drill Act) establishes the minimum number of and type of school safety drills that each individual school building must conduct. They are as follows:

• Evacuation Drills - 3 per year (with 1 requiring the participation of the fire department).
• Bus Evacuation Drills - 1 per year
• Law Enforcement Drills (including Lockdowns) - 1 per year
• Severe Weather/Shelter-in-Place - 1 per year requiring law enforcement participation

This law also has other requirements to include:

• Each school district must conduct an annual meeting to review each school building’s emergency and crisis response plans, protocols and procedures and is conducted with the leadership teams from each school building, district administration personnel and our first responders.  
• Reporting to ensure compliance of the drills conducted at each school building, as well as documentation of the annual safety meeting conducted.  
• Implementing a Behavior Threat Assessment Team to address any targeted school violence prevention

We understand after any drills, students may have questions about the drill or other emotionally challenging situation. There are a handful of resources available to help guide you if needed:

• Conversations with Children about Terrible Things
• Talking to Children about Violence
• Conversations Explaining Drills

Our district has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP is based on an all-hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. It utilizes clear common language while allowing for flexibility in protocol. The premise is simple - there are five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. The SRP is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.

• HOLD
  Students stay in their classrooms, and staff secure the area. Business as usual continues until an "All Clear" is announced.
   

• SECURE
  Students and staff move indoors and lock outside doors. Inside, normal activities continue while the situation outside is monitored.
   

• LOCKDOWN
  In response to an internal threat, students and staff lock doors, stay out of sight, and maintain silence. No one is allowed to leave or enter until safe.
   

• EVACUATE
  Students and staff leave the building and relocate to a safer location. Necessary items may be left behind, and attendance is taken at the evacuation point.
   

• SHELTER
  In response to specific hazards (e.g., tornadoes, earthquakes), students and staff follow safety strategies such as moving to shelter areas or sealing the room.

Our district is committed to clear and informative communication during an emergency situation. District 112 will utilize its primary notification system, ParentSquare, to email, text and call families. Please ensure your contact information is up to date by visiting the Infinite Campus Portal.

Some information may also be shared on the website and social media. However, ParentSquare will be the best location to get the quickest updates. You are already set up to receive emails, texts and calls. You can also access your ParentSquare account for additional features.

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