Give feedback: Schools

Online review

If you live in Kansas City, Mo., or Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri, you had the opportunity to recommend actions that you think some school districts in your community should be taking to protect children from natural hazards.

This review period ended Jan. 20.

Information from school districts

This information was provided to state and federal agencies as part of the Regional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan:

 

Cass County

Archie School District

  • Goal 1. Educate the Board of Education, district staff, parents, patrons and students about the necessity of severe weather planning at school and at home.
  • Goal 2. Disseminate information to the Board of Education, district staff, parents, patrons and students regarding the threat of severe weather and preventative measures that can be taken to mitigate the hazards associated with severe weather.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Conduct an electronic survey of parents, patrons and staff members who
    are on the district’s electronic newsletter list to determine how/if they prepare for natural hazards.
  • Educate parents and patrons regarding severe storm safety by disseminating information to patrons based upon survey information; meeting with school personnel regarding school district safety and emergency preparedness; and initiating ongoing information dissemination and awareness for the district's staff, parents and patrons during faculty and staff in-service.

Give feedback on Archie School District's plan»

Harrisonville School District

  • Goal 1. Educate district staff, parents, and students about the necessity of severe weather planning at school and at home.
  • Goal 2. Develop plans to address shelter of students and spectators during a severe weather event outside of normal school hours at both inside and outside venues.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Disseminate emergency preparedness information to parents and patrons through district Web site and emergency preparedness brochures.
  • Initiate ongoing awareness and training of district staff and students.
  • Initiate systematic practice of severe storm safety procedures.
  • Develop emergency procedures for severe storm shelter during non-school hours.

Give feedback on Harrisonville School District's plan»

Pleasant Hill School District

  • Goal 1. Educate district staff, parents, and students about the necessity of severe weather planning at school and at home.
  • Goal 2. Develop plans to address shelter of students and spectators during a severe weather event outside of normal school hours at both inside and outside venues.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Disseminate emergency preparedness information to parents and patrons through district Web site and emergency preparedness brochures.
  • Initiate ongoing awareness and training of district staff and students.
  • Initiate systematic practice of severe storm safety procedures.
  • Develop emergency procedures for severe storm shelter during non-school hours.

Give feedback on Pleasant Hill School District's plan»

Sherwood Cass R-VIII School District

Goal. Improve student safety from natural and man-made hazards.

Actions to achieve that goal:

  • Improve tornado preparedness by constructing a storm shelter, implementing tornado readiness and response procedures in curriculum, or conducting additional drills (currently there are two per year).
  • Establish and communicate an effective crisis management plan by convening a school safety committee consisting of the school safety coordinator, superintendent,
    school resource officer, and additional administrators and other certified staff members; revising the existing crisis management plan to improve ease of use; or hiring an independent company to train staff in the use of a commercial crisis management plan.
  • Minimize the threat of intruders and civil disturbances by installing video identification system at two main building entrances, providing a security guard at each main entrance, or hiring a full-time school resource officer.

Give feedback on Sherwood Cass R-VIII School District's plan»

Clay County

Metropolitan Community College

  • Goal 1. Protect the health and safety of all students, employees and visitors from natural and manmade hazards.
  • Goal 2. Assist school districts and municipalities in acquiring funds to mitigate natural hazards.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Improve education and outreach to MCC stakeholders on the risks and responses associated with natural, health and manmade hazards by: providing safety forums presented by subject-experts, such as local emergency service personnel; offering safety webinars; enhancing safety section of Web site with relevant information such as the "Active Shooter on Campus" video; expanding text and voicemail systems for communicating with students and employees regarding emergency situations; or integrating evacuation, seek shelter and lockdown drills into each course syllabus that instructors would cover during the first class of each semester.
  • Establish resources to manage and protect the campus community in the event of a disaster by creating a college police department to serve as emergency first responders or constructing a fully operational emergency operations center that could be shared with local municipalities.

  • Assist school districts and municipalities in applying for hazard mitigation funds by providing sample grant applications and written technical advice to any requesting school district or municipality or providing grant application and management services at cost to any requesting school district or municipality.

Give feedback on Metropolitan Community College's plan»

Jackson County

Lone Jack C-6 School District

Goal. Make sure students are safe regardless of impending danger by planning for a district-wide evacuation, which will keep students safe if they are not safe in district buildings.

Actions to achieve that goal:

Develop a district-wide evacuation plan approved by the school board by identifying an emergency evacuation route for students in all three buildings, identifying building safety coordinators who will be the last people out of the buildings to ensure everyone has left, and educating secretaries in each building on what to do during an emergency evacuation.

The plan will be evaluated and revised as necessary.

Give feedback on Lone Jack C-6 School District's plan»

Metropolitan Community College

  • Goal 1. Protect the health and safety of all students, employees and visitors from natural and manmade hazards.
  • Goal 2. Assist school districts and municipalities in acquiring funds to mitigate natural hazards.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Improve education and outreach to MCC stakeholders on the risks and responses associated with natural, health and manmade hazards by: providing safety forums presented by subject-experts, such as local emergency service personnel; offering safety webinars; enhancing safety section of Web site with relevant information such as the "Active Shooter on Campus" video; expanding text and voicemail systems for communicating with students and employees regarding emergency situations; or integrating evacuation, seek shelter and lockdown drills into each course syllabus that instructors would cover during the first class of each semester.
  • Establish resources to manage and protect the campus community in the event of a disaster by creating a college police department to serve as emergency first responders or constructing a fully operational emergency operations center that could be shared with local municipalities.

  • Assist school districts and municipalities in applying for hazard mitigation funds by providing sample grant applications and written technical advice to any requesting school district or municipality or providing grant application and management services at cost to any requesting school district or municipality.

Give feedback on Metropolitan Community College's plan»

Platte County

Park Hill School District

  • Goal 1. Purchase external cameras to reduce property damage and identify potential threats to the school environment.
  • Goal 2. Purchase a portable, three-phase generator to supply electrical power in case of an emergency.

Actions to achieve those goals:

  • Consider including the addition of external cameras as part of the federal stimulus
    funding.
  • Consider including a portion of the cost for the portable generator in the district
    budget.

Give feedback on Park Hill School District's plan»

West Platte R-II School District

Goal. Improve safety for students, staff and community from the hazards of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

Actions to achieve that goal:

  • Consider including the construction of a "hardened" shelter as part of the school
    district's upcoming capital improvement project. As part of the planning for the capital
    improvement project, the district will approach the City of Weston regarding possibility
    of partnering with them to help defray costs. The district could use available expertise
    from city or from the district's architect or construction manager to apply for a FEMA
    Hazard Mitigation Grant.
  • Regardless of whether or not a "hardened" shelter is constructed, develop and post
    emergency shelter directions in school facilities such as gyms, cafeterias and the stadium. Disseminate this information to the public in district publications, media and via the district's Web site.

Give feedback on West Platte R-II School District's plan»