Yelm Community Schools is focused on safety issues throughout the district and creating a sense of security for all students, staff and visitors.

In partnership with Yelm PD and a various officers, tours have been conducted of each campus through the lens of a first responder. Discussions with building administrators and facility staff included current evacuation procedures, entrance and exit protocols, maps of the building layout, reflective numbering, signage for visitors, lighting, and communications systems. Best practices emerged that will be shared with all buildings. For example, Prairie Elementary has a “Power Outage Cart.” This has a variety of flashlights, lanterns, and batteries charged and ready to roll.

Tragic events around the country and close to home have required schools to think about how to respond to what seem to be unthinkable scenarios. District staff and Student Resource Officers (SRO) are trained in ALICE on how to respond to an active shooter scenario.  This national training draws in churches, business, and schools and focuses on response protocols.  All administrators were introduced to the ALICE model and are continuing to discuss ways to implement these practices within their buildings. 

A – Alert
L – Lockdown
I – Inform
C – Counter
E – Evacuate

Partnership with law enforcement is critical in our ability to respond and communicate during a crisis situation.