• Old Mill Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) Information

     

     
    Help us improve! Join Old Mill’s Emergency Preparedness Committee.
    Contact the Emergency Preparedness chair for more information or to help during our October emergency drill. 
     
    Old Mill School follows the emergency preparedness plan developed by Mill Valley School District which is detailed below. 

    Emergency Communications Protocols

    emergency alert

    When incidents happen in our community, we collaborate with our local law enforcement or health department partners. We update you as soon as we are able to safely do so. The steps listed below are a guide to how the District office will be communicating with families:
     
    1. Website Pop-Up Alert: We have a constant pop-up alert on all pages of our website.  This will state if schools are open or closed.

    2. ParentSquare Alert: We send a ParentSquare alert which generates an instant message to your chosen method of contact.

    3. ParentSquare email: We send a ParentSquare email post to all district families.

    4. Updates: We will provide updates on the website (pop-up) and with ParentSquare as new information is received.  

    5. Social Media: We update social media if time allows - Instagram, Facebook

    6. Debrief: Following the event, we post a debrief document on our website headlines section and report out with ParentSquare and in the Family Newsletter.

    This is a reminder that should we ever have to close any of our schools because of an emergency situation, prior to school opening for the day, we will send out a ParentSquare alert to all families.  This alert will be sent out between 6:30-7:00 a.m.  No notification will be sent out if schools are open.  Login in to your ParentSquare account to verify your contact information is up-to-date.

     

    If you are uncertain or wish to double check the status of schools, please go directly to our website where an alert notification bubble will state the current status of our sites.

    For more information about our Emergency Preparedness Plans, please visit this page of our website.

     
    MVSD EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN
    In the event of an emergency DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL.  An instant alert system (School Messenger) will communicate to parents and/or guardians.  
     
    Here is the district Emergency Preparedness webpage. Read below and then check this link in an emergency.
     
    Each emergency presents a unique set of variables, which will be evaluated prior to a decision to use School Messenger. Those variables include nature of emergency, time of emergency, estimated duration of emergency, impact on immediate safety of students, direction given by law enforcement and emergency services agencies, and others. The District's highest priority is to first evaluate and respond to the emergency and ensure the immediate safety of students; and then to notify parents/guardians if the individual emergency dictates.
     
    School Messenger's accuracy is dependent on making sure all information is up-to-date in the school district's database. Any adjustments in your contact information can be made by contacting your local school. It is important to keep your contact information up-to-date at all times, even changes in email addresses.
     
    When you receive a message from School Messenger, please regard it as very important. The caller id will be the district's main number 415.389.7700. Don't hang up. If you pick up the voice mail at a later date,listen to the entire message. Do not call the school or the District office. If it is an emergency notification, it will include instructions. 
     
    In the event of any earthquake, flood, wild land fire, or other emergency, keep your radios tuned to KCBS-740 AM, or KGO-810 AM for advisory information.
     
    Be sure you have listed ALL adults allowed to collect your child on the back to school Emergency Form....AND inform those contacts that they may be counted on to collect your child. Also try to include an adult out-of-state contact in case in-state calls are tied up. This may help you to receive information sooner.
    STUDENT RELEASE GENERAL GUIDELINES:
    Do Not Drive on Campus - School campuses must be clear of cars to allow for emergency vehicles. Park your car safely nearby and walk to school. Do not leave your car in the street where it will block other cars or emergency vehicles.
    Major Earthquake - If buildings are unsafe to re-enter, CHILDREN WILL REMAIN UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF SCHOOL AUTHORITIES until parents or designated responsible adults can pick them up.  Students will only be released to a parent or guardian as listed on their emergency card. 
    Student Pick-up Locations – For Old Mill, the Outdoor Student Release area is below the Lovell entrance at the bottom of the stairs behind the gym.  Go directly to the gate on Lovell Avenue to enter the school yard and check student(s) out. Please be patient and allow staff to follow procedures which are in the interest of ALL children. It is of utmost importance that your child is officially checked out before leaving campus.
    For the safety of all, please do not enter or exit through any other gate unless signage indicates otherwise. Students will be with their classes sitting in lines on the lower playground clearly marked by the teacher’s name.
     

    Evacuation Map
     
    Student Release tables will be set up behind the auditorium, at the bottom of the stairs from the Lovell Avenue gate. After your child is brought to you by a staff member or parent volunteer, you will show your photo ID and sign a Student Release form for each student you are taking. Do not remove your child or any other child from school without signing their emergency release form. This provides us with a record of where each student went in case someone else may arrive later looking for the student. If you do not have ID, your photo will be taken and you will leave your phone number and address of final destination.
     
    Unless you are staying to volunteer, please leave as quickly as possible after signing out.  
     
    Adult volunteers will be needed to help with first aid, supervising and dismissing students, monitoring traffic, etc. If you are able to volunteer, go directly to the Command Center (located near the PE office/emergency container/lower playground) and they will give you an assignment. Volunteers should leave children with their classes and not sign student release forms until they are ready to leave.
     
     
    Bring Identification - You must bring Picture ID to identify yourself for release of any student to your care.  Do not attempt to remove your child or any other child from school without having signed the emergency release form at the Student Release area.
    The objectives of the Emergency Preparedness Plan are as follows:
    • To arrange for a calm and efficient plan for parents to retrieve their children from school, if necessary;
    • To minimize injuries and loss of life of students and personnel and to insure their safety and protection if an emergency occurs during school hours;
    • To provide for maximum use of school personnel and school facilities.
    Emergency on the Way to School - If children are caught in an emergency between home and school, it is recommended that they go immediately to school.
    Emergency at School - Should an emergency occur while the children are at school, the following actions will be implemented by personnel, depending on type of emergency as specified in our plan:
    • In event of earthquake, give “duck and cover” instructions.
    • Evacuate students to assigned area on yard.
    • Hold students in assigned yard area, take roll, report missing students and wait for further instructions.
    • Certain teachers will report for assigned special duties (e.g. first aid or search and rescue).  Otherwise teachers remain with class and provide student supervision.
    • Provide basic first aid.
    • If school buildings are declared unsafe to re-enter by the Principal, students will be dismissed.
    • Dismissed students will only be released to a parent or guardian as listed on their emergency card.
    Food and Water Supply - In the event that children need to remain on campus for several hours after an emergency, we have a basic supply of water and food.
    Emergency Release Forms - If you are unable to reach the school, personnel will care for your child until you can safely get there.  In order to assist staff in the safe caring for your child, be sure you have filled out, signed and returned the "Emergency Release Form".  If there is any special medical information the school should know about, please record it clearly and notify the school office if there are any significant changes. 
    Evacuation From Immediate Area - Conditions may be such that it is necessary to remove students from the immediate area.  An instant alert system (School Messenger) will communicate to parents / guardians, when possible, the location of students.  A notice will also be posted on the front door of the school with the location of the students.  If students are to be removed to a Red Cross Shelter, they will be kept together under the supervision of the Red Cross and a Child Protection Services worker. Park School could also be used as shelter.
    You and your family are encouraged to develop an Emergency Preparedness Plan for your home.  Please take a moment to review www.getreadymarin.org and www.cityofmillvalley.org/ready for essential information.
     

    The following are answers to some frequently-asked-questions (FAQ’s) on emergencies:

    • What if there is an earthquake or a fire and I can’t get through to Old Mill School?
    You will receive a voice message from School Messenger. The caller id will be the district's main number 415.389.7700. Don't hang up. If you pick up the voice mail at a later date, listen to the entire message. Do not call the school or the District office. If it is an emergency notification, it will include instructions.
     
    • What if my cell phone doesn’t work or the electricity is out?

    Since this is likely, you should make sure you have a landline telephone that does not need electricity (one that plugs in with a phone jack only). It is also a good idea to exchange out-of-state contact numbers with the person who might be picking up your kids.

    • How can parents train for an emergency?

    Civilian volunteers are essential during a disaster. We encourage Old Mill parents to receive Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). For information, go to www.marincountycert.org or call 415-485-3409.   

    • What if a parent can’t get to school to pickup up their child?

    Should a major emergency occur, it is likely that many parents will not be able to reach the school right away.  If conditions make it necessary, we will release your child to the adult indicated on your child's release form.  We will keep a written record of the student and the adult to whom your child has been released.  In the extreme case that no adult arrives to collect your child and a family friend/neighbor is identified/recognized by the child and a staff/parent volunteer, that adult will have his/her photo taken and they will provide their phone number and address of next destination which will be provided to you when contact is made. If relocation is required, information will be posted at the school.