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Our District

Safety and Security

Ankeny Community Schools places a strong emphasis on safety at school. The district stresses the importance of everyone in the school conducting themselves carefully and with concern for their own and others’ safety. Students are encouraged to notify teachers or the administration of risks of injury or harm to themselves or others.

Please see Ankeny Schools’ response to HF 2586 here

Fire

Evacuations

In the event that conditions pose a significant risk to the safety of individuals inside a building, an evacuation will be initiated. This applies to students, staff, and visitors, who are all required to promptly exit the premises. An evacuation may be necessary due to factors such as a fire, a spill/leak of hazardous materials within the building, or damage that compromises the structural integrity of the building. It’s important to note that regular classroom instruction and other school activities will be temporarily halted during the evacuation.
Shelterinplace

Shelter in Place

This is implemented when there is a hazardous situation occurring near the school premises. This may involve a spill or leakage of dangerous substances in close proximity, the presence of a dangerous animal near the school, or nearby police activity. In the event of a shelter-in-place order, students who are outside will be promptly escorted inside the building. All exterior doors and windows will be closed and securely locked, and window blinds may be closed. No one will be permitted to enter or exit the building during this time. In certain cases involving hazardous materials, it may be necessary to deactivate the heating, air conditioning, or ventilation system to prevent outside contaminants from entering the building. Normal classroom instruction and other school activities will continue as much as possible under these circumstances.
Lockdown

Lockdown

Based on the situation this could be put into action when there is a potentially dangerous person who is thought to have a weapon or dangerous object. A lockdown quickly increases the level of security for everyone in the school, including students, staff, and visitors. During a lockdown, all the doors and windows on the outside are locked, and each classroom door is locked too. The blinds on the windows may be closed, the lights turned off, and electronic devices silenced. No one is allowed to enter or leave the building. If there are students outside, they will be brought inside or guided to a safe place. Regular classroom activities and other school events are stopped until the situation is resolved.
Hallclear

Hall Clear

This is activated in specific situations such as medical emergencies, where it is important to ensure privacy for the person involved and allow emergency medical personnel to quickly reach the scene. In such cases, students are instructed to go to a designated classroom or another safe area and stay there until the situation is resolved and an official confirmation is provided. Regular classroom activities and other school events will continue as much as possible without disruption.