Emergency Response Team

2009-2010 members:                  

John Carr                                                             Danielle Keating

Stacy Vincent                                                     James Heden

Jayne Roberts                                                   Paula Walter

Mark Dalton                                                       BJ Pelkey

Carole Raymonda

Gary Harmon                                                    

Rationale: The purpose of the Emergency Response Team is to directly respond to staff concerns about the need for immediate help in an emergency situation. It is a combination staff/administrative approach to respond to very legitimate concerns by staff members.

Purpose: The purpose of the Emergency Response Team is two-fold:

1. The team will respond immediately to any emergency when an administrator is not available.

2. The team will respond immediately to any emergency when called upon by an administrator for assistance.

Response Procedure: The ERT group will respond in the following manner:

At an announcement from the office, ERT members will go directly to the room or area where the emergency is occurring.

2. Teachers in adjoining rooms to ERT members will accept responsibility for monitoring ERT members' classes

    for the short time the members are needed.

3. At the scene ERT members will try

A.            to work with the teacher to defuse the situation.

B.            to remove the student from the emergency area.

C.            to respond to the circumstances of the emergency in a professional manner to protect students and staff

4. Should it be necessary, at least two ERT members will escort a student or students to the office area and

    remain there until an administrator is available. Other ERT members will return to their classrooms.

5. All staff members will be responsible for submitting detailed reports on the emergency situation.

ERT members may be asked to monitor areas where situations may develop--based on information from students and staff.

ERT members cannot simply be appointed; they can only volunteer after a personal request from the building administrator.  Further, this would be a year to year appointment.

ERT members should periodically meet with administrators to brainstorm solutions to possible emergency situations that could arise. e.g. senior parade, sit-in protests.

ERT members who perform competently on these teams should be recognized by administrators and Board members in written form. This form, with the teacher^’s permission, should become part of the permanent record of the teacher in the district. Should the teacher not favor including the written form, the form will not be included in the permanent record of the teacher.  The teacher will then be excluded from the ERT group.

ERT members who perform competently should be given special consideration when appropriate. This should be at the discretion of the building administrator. For example, ERT members could receive first consideration for after school supervision per contract pay.

ERT members will add a key presence where needed. (e.g. NFEC AM and PM, cafeterias, pre-holiday situations, etc.)  ERT members could be asked to mentor probationary teachers in a confidential relationship as a colleague and veteran.

9. The ERT concept is an "evolving' position.

The purpose of the ERT is to respond to Emergency Situations that might occur in the building. It is a response to very legitimate concerns that have been expressed by staff for a mechanism to respond to emergency situations that are above and beyond those normally occurring in the classroom or in the building.

When an emergency occurs that might require the presence of these staff members an announcement will be made from the office, “ERT and location". The ERT members will go directly to the area to help defuse the situation and aid staff members in that area. The purpose of this team is to deal with crisis or potential crisis situations. The members of this team have volunteered to take part in this process in an attempt to help their colleagues in the building. This is a combined effort of administrative and teaching staff to ensure a safe and orderly teaching environment in our building. We all know that it is necessary for all of us in the building to work cooperatively to assure an appropriate learning environment.

The purpose of this team is not to take the place of the need for normal staff visibility or to take care of classroom situations that would generally be taken care of by the classroom teacher. We all believe that our staff can handle routine disciplinary situations in the classroom and in the building. The process of creating a general environment conducive to learning is the job of every staff member in the building.

The members of the ERT will be called on only in situations that are an emergency or potential emergency. If a staff member feels the ERT is necessary they should call the main office and relay the situation. An immediate response will occur.