Emergency Plan

Schoolhouse has a comprehensive Emergency Plan. Should an emergency or disaster situation ever arise in our area, Schoolhouse has made preparations to respond effectively. Your child will be cared for at school.

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Your cooperation is vital in any emergency. Please help by doing the following.

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• Do not telephone the school or call/text staff. School phone lines and staff phones will be needed for emergency communication, and a large overload of the phone services may result in the entire system shutting down, disabling vital phone contact with emergency personnel. Though this is likely a contradiction to your instincts, please understand the importance of this request.

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• Listen to the radio for news. During an emergency, the San Francisco Unified School District provides constant updates to the City’s designated emergency broadcast radio stations: KCBS (740 AM), KNBR (680 AM), KQED (88.5 FM) and KSJO (92.3 FM). While the Schoolhouse is not a part of the District, parents can get a general idea of the geographical areas through these updates. 

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• Students will be released only to parents and persons authorized to pick up their child. In the event of a serious incident, students will be kept at the school until they are picked up by an identified, responsible adult who has been designated in the information that you filled out at the beginning of the year. Please be sure to consider the following criteria when you authorize another person to pick up your child at school:

  1. They are a minimum of 18 years old

  2. They are usually home during the day

  3. They can walk or bike to school if necessary

  4. They are known to your child

  5. They are aware and able to assume this responsibility

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• Please write a comfort letter and include a picture of your family. These will be added to our emergency relief backpacks. This letter will be handed to your child in the event of a disaster while school is in session, and would no doubt give your child some comfort during the stressful event. Impress upon your children the need for them to remain calm and quiet, and to follow directions of any school employees. Sample text for comfort letters is available in the school handbook. Seal the letter in an envelope with your child’s name on the front. Return the letters to the teachers.
   

• Parents should plan on being patient and understanding with the student release process. It is a methodical process designed to ensure that your child has been released to the adult of your choice, or is being taken care of by the school until you, the parent or guardian, arrive. Currently we have a small student body and this process should not be too arduous.

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Fire Procedure

In the event of a fire, an alarm will sound. Fire drills simulate incidents such as fire or explosions, and are practiced monthly. Each classroom has a fire evacuation route posted on the wall. Students are instructed to quickly and quietly exit the building in an orderly fashion along safe and practiced routes to designated meeting places.

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Earthquake Procedure

Because San Francisco is geographically located in an active earthquake zone, earthquake drills are practiced once a year during the Great California ShakeOut. The students and employees have been instructed on “duck, cover, and hold” procedures. All classrooms have a disaster relief backpack that has provisions for all students for three days. We will add your comfort letters to this pack.

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School Closure

If the Schoolhouse must be closed because of major events such as a fire, smoke, act of God, flood, war, governmental action, act of terrorism, epidemic, pandemic or any other event beyond the school’s control, the school’s duties and obligations to its families will be postponed until the school may safely reopen. In the event that the school cannot reopen, the school is under no obligation to refund any portion of the tuition paid.

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Smoke Days

Schoolhouse will apply the following procedures when air quality changes due to fire. (Please note that air purifiers will be on indoors when the air quality is yellow or worse.) As air quality can change quickly, families may need to pick-up their child from school before the official end of the day.

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• Yellow: When the air quality is in the yellow, school will remain open, students will continue to go outside for lunch, park time and other such outdoor activities. Sensitive members of the community should bring and wear N95 masks. 

• Orange & Red: When the air quality is in the orange or red, school will remain open, but students will remain indoors. All outside School activities are canceled. 

• Purple: School will be closed, and when possible, the school will transition to remote learning.

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If school is still open and you feel that your child should not attend school due to the air quality, you are welcome to email the attendance line that you plan to keep them home. 

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School may also be canceled if the indoor air quality is significantly diminished.

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Shelter in Place

Shelter in place procedures are implemented in the event of a police emergency near the school, or an intruder in the school. Also known as “code red,” the hallways are cleared and all the classrooms are locked. A hazardous release event, like a chemical spill or smoke from a fire, could also be a cause to initiate shelter in place procedures. All employees have been briefed, and training will continue annually.