School Safety
Keeping your student safe
is our top priority.
Here's a look at how Salt Lake City School District prevents, prepares for, and responds to emergencies, and exactly how we'll keep you in the loop if something happens.
Every school in our district trains year-round, uses the same safety plan, and follows one shared, practiced response protocol, so if something does happen, staff and students know exactly what to do.
Three things we do every day in every building
We control who comes in.
Elementary and middle schools use doorbell-and-camera entry systems. Every visitor, including parents, checks in before the door unlocks. High schools keep as many exterior doors locked as possible throughout the day. Please help us by checking in at the front office whenever you visit your child’s school.
Our staff train and stay connected.
Every staff member trains on emergency procedures each year, so the response feels practiced, not improvised. Administrators use a shared app to coordinate instantly during a crisis with each other, district leaders, and local law enforcement.
Every school follows one shared plan.
Every SLCSD school, from elementary to high school, uses the Standard Response Protocol, which is used in schools across the country. That means the same five words mean the same thing in every building, so a student moving from one school to the next never has to learn a new system, and a family with children at different schools only has to know one protocol.
The Standard Response Protocol: five words you and your student should know
During a school emergency, one of the protocols below is initiated. Usually, the school administrator makes that call based on what’s happening in the moment. On occasion, the call may come from local law enforcement.
Every school runs monthly, age-appropriate practice drills so the words and actions below feel routine, not frightening.
After a protocol is completed, our goal is to return to a normal school day as soon as possible. Counseling support is always available for any student who needs it, at any time.
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| Exterior doors are locked, and everyone comes inside. Classes continue as normal inside the building. | Students and staff move into locked rooms, with lights off and staying as quiet as possible until an all-clear is given. | Everyone exits the school and moves calmly to a designated safe location outside the building. | Students and staff take protective positions in the school until the hazard has passed. | Everyone stays in their current room, keeping the halls clear. This is often called so medical responders can move through the school freely. |
How we’ll reach you if something happens
How we’ll reach you if something happens
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ParentSquare App notifications, text messages, email, and possibly phone calls: this is our primary channel for fast, direct updates to your household. |
Social Media While ParentSquare is our primary way to communicate with families, we also share updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages. |
Things that make a real difference
1. Keep your contact info current in PowerSchool and ParentSquare.This is the single biggest factor in whether you get an alert the moment it's sent. If you need help updating your phone number or email, contact your school’s main office.
2. Wait for official word from us before driving to the school. We know waiting is hard. Acting before we've confirmed it's safe can put people at more risk. Additionally, tying up phone lines or arriving in person can slow down first responders. Watch ParentSquare and social media instead. We'll tell you what to do next, including where and when to pick up your student if that becomes necessary.