Holt Public Schools is deeply committed to school safety, with procedures and programs that are continually reviewed and strengthened. Across the district, the Raptor Visitor Management system supports secure entry procedures, and the Standard Response Protocols, developed by the I Love You Guys Foundation, is consistently practiced to ensure clear and effective emergency response.
All visitors need to check in at the school or by using the using their Raptor Safe Passport app. Checking in prior to arrival reduces wait times and helps ensure a smooth entry process.
Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
The SRP supports clear and effective communication during emergencies by providing
- Consistent language
- Visual, easy-to-recognize cues
- Clear, specific actions
Each school regularly practices these protocols so that students, staff, and faculty are familiar and confident with all five response actions.
Hold
- Moves staff and students out of hallways and common areas
- Maintains a safe, clear and quick passage for
- First responders
- Staff aiding someone in need of immediate care.
Secure
- Protects students and staff from a threat that is outside the school
- Involves making sure everyone is/remains inside the building.
Lockdown
- Protects students and staff from a threat inside the building
- Involves organizing students
- Inside their classrooms
- Locking the doors
- Remaining out of sight
Evacuate
- Moves students and staff out of the building to escape a threat inside, such as a fire.
Shelter
- Occurs during a
- Weather event
- Natural disaster
- Bomb
- Hazardous materials spill.
- Students and staff move to specified locations within the building and protect themselves.
Why I Love You Guys?
The I Love You Guys Foundation provides easy to understand and visual standard response protocols (SRP) free to school districts across the nation. Within our District, all schools follow the same SRP, allowing us to have a common language and establish a common understanding for how we respond in emergency situations.
What is Run/Hide/Fight (RHF) and does the District practice this?
RHF
- An additional safety response
- Developed by the Department of Homeland Security
- An options-based approach that allows for flexibility when responding to a crisis
- Promotes situational awareness and challenges participants to consider how their response to a crisis may need to adapt in real time based on changing circumstances
Will my child actually be taught how to fight when this response is practiced?
No, students will not be taught how to fight. Faculty and staff will guide students to remain aware of their surroundings and understand that responses or directions may change depending on the situation.
Who should I contact if I have questions about safety procedures?
Contact your school principal for information about the school’s emergency preparedness plan and how it addresses potential crises. Please note that for security reasons not all details can be shared; however, families are welcome to learn about the overall framework and general procedures in place.
What other procedures are in place?
The District Safety Committee meets monthly to address safety and security concerns on an ongoing basis. In addition, school safety discussions take place at the building level through committees led by building administrators, ensuring consistent attention to safety across all schools.
Each building conducts regular emergency drills to maintain preparedness. Visual aids, such as the posters displayed throughout all district facilities, provide clear guidance for students and staff while reinforcing consistent terminology and procedures districtwide.
Beyond emergency preparedness, our elementary and middle schools promote character education and positive interactions through their Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) frameworks. At the junior high and high school levels, restorative practices are used to foster positive relationships and support behavior improvement. Across all schools, staff remain vigilant in addressing bullying and are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for every student.
How will I be contacted in an emergency situation?
The District will make every effort to communicate information in a timely manner via any or all of the following
- Text
- Phone
- District website
- Social media
HPS recommends that families sign up for notifications via SchoolMessenger. Directions are found on our Technology Support Website.
What should I look for in my school’s emergency preparedness plan?
Comprehensive emergency preparedness plans include procedures for evacuations, including
- How students safely exit the building
- Designated locations for shelter-in-place situations
- Identified rally points
- Established reunification processes
Plans also outline the use of school communication systems, such as public address and automated calling systems. In addition, the district works closely with local law enforcement and fire departments to support coordinated response efforts.
How can I help my school better prepare for emergencies and keep students safe?
Effective emergency preparedness plans are routinely revisited to identify areas in need of improvement.
- Be informed about existing plans and procedures
- Give school officials accurate contact information for your family
- Talk to your children about
- What to do
- Where to meet
- How to contact you should an emergency situation arise.
- Find ways to collaborate effectively with school staff and fellow parents and community members to best prepare for emergency situations.
OK2SAY
- 24 hours a day
- 7 days a week
- 365 days a year
- Call: 8-555-OK2SAY
- (855-565-2729)
- Text: 652729
- Email: OK2Say@mi.gov
- Download the App
