Agenda Item
c. Emergency Response Procedures and Protocols Booklet 2025-2026 & Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Elijah Palmer, Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Division
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the adoption and distribution of the updated Emergency Response Procedures & Protocols Booklet and the Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist for the 2025-2026 school year. These resources are intended for district-wide use to support school safety preparedness, emergency response consistency, and compliance with state-mandated safety audits.
Why: Emergency Response Procedures & Protocols Booklet
The Emergency Response Procedures & Protocols Booklet serves as a standardized guide for responding to a wide range of emergencies across all DeKalb County School District facilities. It provides staff with clear, actionable steps for incidents such as lockdowns, evacuations, medical emergencies, and severe weather. By formalizing and disseminating these procedures, the district ensures a unified and timely response to threats, thereby reducing confusion, improving safety outcomes, and aligning with best practices recommended by emergency management agencies.
Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist
The Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist is a structured evaluation tool designed to assess each school’s readiness and compliance with critical safety protocols. It allows school administrators, SROs, and district leadership to conduct consistent walk-throughs and identify areas of concern related to access control, visitor management, emergency signage, and other security elements. This tool supports the district's efforts to maintain safe learning environments and fulfills audit requirements set forth by the Georgia Department of Education.
Details: The Emergency Response Procedures & Protocols Booklet was developed by the DeKalb County School District’s Department of Public Safety in collaboration with district leadership and emergency management partners. The booklet outlines clear, step-by-step procedures for staff and administrators to follow in the event of:
Lockdowns and intruder situations.
Evacuations and bomb threats.
Medical emergencies (including CPR and AED guidance).
Fire drills and actual fire events.
Severe weather responses (e.g., tornadoes, flooding).
Reunification protocols following an emergency.
Each school will receive printed and digital copies for distribution to all staff. Principals and School Resource Officers (SROs) will also receive hard copies for their administrative and emergency planning teams. Annual training will be provided to ensure procedures are reviewed and practiced.
Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist
Details:
The Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist is a standardized school safety audit tool designed to help administrators and school safety staff assess critical areas of campus safety. The checklist includes sections on:
Main entrance and access control.
Security camera placement and coverage.
Proper emergency signage and exit markings.
Functional intercoms and lockdown mechanisms.
Staff visibility during arrival/dismissal.
Presence of emergency kits and supplies.
Building perimeter security.
The checklist is designed to be completed during school walk-throughs conducted by administrators and SROs. It will be reviewed quarterly and shared with the Department of Public Safety to monitor school compliance and address vulnerabilities in real-time.
Financial impact: The implementation of the Emergency Response Procedures & Protocols Booklet and the Safe Schools Crosswalk Checklist will incur no additional fiscal costs, as both items are developed utilizing existing resources and will be integrated within the current operational framework.
Contact: Mr. Tracy Whaley, Chief of Public Safety, Chief of Staff Division, 678-676-2148
Mr. Elijah Palmer, Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Division, 678-676-0791
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Attorney Approval Not Required
Requirement § 20-2-1185(a): Every public school shall prepare a school safety plan to help curb the growing incidence of violence in schools, to
respond effectively to such incidents, and to provide a safe learning environment for Georgia’s children, teachers, and other school personnel. Such
plan shall also address preparedness for natural disasters, hazardous materials or radiological incidents, acts of violence, and acts of terrorism.
School safety plans of public schools shall be prepared with input from students enrolled in that school, parents or legal guardians of such students,
teachers in that school, community leaders, other school employees and school district employees, and local law enforcement, juvenile court, fire
service, public safety, and emergency management agencies. As part of such plans, public schools shall provide for the coordination with local law
enforcement agencies and the local juvenile court system.
Such plans of public schools shall be submitted to the local emergency management agency and the local law enforcement agency for approval.
School Plan Review Crosswalk Completed by the School Completed by DCSDPD
Compliant Proof Document Compliant
Requirement Yes / No Page/section number Yes / No Comments
A. The school has prepared a school safety plan.
B. The plan addresses preparedness for natural
disasters.
C. The plan addresses preparedness for hazardous
material or radiological incidents.
D. The plan addresses preparedness for acts of
violence.
E. The plan addresses address preparedness for
acts of terrorism.
F. The plan is prepared with input from students
enrolled in that school.
G. The plan is prepared with input from parents or
legal guardians of such students.
School Plan Review Crosswalk Completed by the School Completed by DCSDPD
Compliant Proof Document Compliant
Requirement Yes / No Page/section number Yes / No Comments
H. The plan is prepared with input from teachers in
that school.
I. The plan is prepared with input from community
leaders.
J. The plan is prepared with input from other school
employees and school district employees.
K. The plan is prepared with input from local law
enforcement.
L. The plan is prepared with input from juvenile
court.
M. The plan is prepared with input from fire service.
N. The plan is prepared with input from public
safety.
O. The plan is prepared with input from emergency
management agencies.
P. The plan provides for coordination with local law
enforcement agencies.
Q. The plan provides for coordination with the local
juvenile court system.
Requirement § 20-2-1185(a): School safety plans shall include, at a minimum, the following strategy areas: (1) Training school administrators,
teachers, and support staff, including but not limited to, school resource officers, security officers, secretaries, custodians, and bus drivers, on
school violence prevention, school security, school threat assessment, mental health awareness, and school emergency planning best practices]
(2): Evaluating and refining school security measures; (3) Updating and exercising school emergency preparedness plans (4) Strengthening
partnerships with public safety officials; (5) Creating enhanced crisis communications plans and social media strategies.
School Plan Review Crosswalk Completed by the School Completed By DCSDDPS
Compliant Proof Document Compliant
Requirement Yes / No Page/section number Yes / No Comments
1. The plan includes a strategy for training school
administrators, teachers, and support staff,
including but not limited to, school resource
officers, security officers, secretaries, custodians,
and bus drivers, on school violence prevention,
school security, school threat assessment, mental
health awareness, and school emergency planning
best practices
2. The plan includes a strategy for evaluating and
refining school safety measures;
3. The plan includes a strategy for updating and
exercising school emergency preparedness plans;
4. The plan includes a strategy for strengthening
partnerships with public safety officials;
5. The plan includes a strategy for creating
enhanced crisis communications plans and social
media strategies.
Requirement § 20-2-1185(c): School safety plans prepared by public schools shall address security issues in school safety zones as defined in
Code Section 16-11-127.1. School safety plans should also address security issues involving the transportation of pupils to and from school and
school functions held during noninstructional hours.
O.C.G.A. 16-11-127.1 (2010)
16-11-127.1. Carrying weapons within school safety zones, at school functions, or on school property
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) "School safety zone" means in or on any real property owned by or leased to any public or private elementary school, secondary school, or school board and
used for elementary or secondary education and in or on the campus of any public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university, or
institution of postsecondary education.
School Plan Review Crosswalk Completed by the School Completed By DCSDDPS
Compliant Proof Document Compliant
Requirement Yes / No Page/section number Yes / No Comments
1. The plan addresses security issues in
school safety zones.
2. The plan should address security issues
involving the transportation of pupils to
and from school and school functions held
during noninstructional hours.
Note – noncompliance with this area will
not adversely impact overall plan approval
by DeKalb County agency
3. The plan includes an reunification plan
with approved locations from
transportation
School Name________________________________________________________
Administrators Signature_______________________________________________ Date_______________________
Safe School Specialist_________________________________________________ Date_______________________