Crisis Communications

Pinkerton Academy understands the stress that emergency/crisis situations create for our families. The following information can help families understand when and how to expect emergency communication from Pinkerton.

We will communicate in all situations that cause a disruption of normal operation or instruction during a school day. We use the levels below when there is an emergency situation. You will receive messaging for both levels. 

Stay in Place

Stay in Place is used for situations when there is not an immediate threat to campus safety. It is NOT a lockdown. We have called a Stay in Place in the past for a wild animal on campus, a medical emergency, and a power outage. Movement is not allowed between buildings, but classroom instruction can continue. Because a Stay in Place may elevate in seriousness, we ask teachers to shut their doors and limit bathroom use.

ALICE Protocols

Our entire staff is trained in ALICE protocols as a response to potential violent intruders. If there is an immediate threat to campus safety, we implement ALICE. No individuals can come to or leave campus when ALICE protocols are implemented. 

How and when does Pinkerton communicate in emergency or crisis situations? 

The nature of an emergency will dictate how quickly you will hear from the school, who the message will come from, and what is shared. 

  • If it is an active situation, the messages will most often come from the Director of Communications with follow-up messaging coming from the Head of School or Associate Head of School at the end of the event.
     
  • Communications will be sent via email and text messaging (and sometimes phone) using ParentSquare to ensure it reaches all families in their preferred language. 
Crisis Communications Examples

For some examples of how and when we will communicate in an emergency, click here.

What is NOT included in Emergency/Crisis Communications to Families?
  • Student information - Pinkerton Academy is legally bound to protect student privacy and will not share information that can identify an individual student or students. Please visit the section about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) on our website for more information. 
  • Information that might hinder any active law enforcement investigations. 
  • Information might not be shared with all families if a situation is not a safety threat beyond a specific group, classroom, or bus. Only the affected families might be notified. 
  • If there is no safety threat or disruption to normal school operations -- for example, a medical issue on campus that does not result in holding bells or an altercation on campus that only affects the people involved -- information will only be provided to the families of the individuals involved.