The following emergency plans exist under the District EOP umbrella. For security reasons, UCSD cannot share specifics of these plans. 

• Activities Plan—Outlines emergency response procedures specific to each venue that supports Activities.
• Behavior Intervention Plan—Outlines threat assessment protocols to determine if a student is a threat to self or others.
• Business Continuity Plan—Outlines procedures for providing critical business services and functions in the event of a crisis or other disruption of operations.
• Building Emergency Plan—Outlines emergency response procedures specific to each building. 
• Crisis Communications Plan—Outlines procedures for effectively coordinating communications with District stakeholders during a crisis situation. 
• Health Risk Assessment Plan—Outlines procedures for responding to student and staff injuries during a crisis, pandemic response, and chemical/biological response.
• Information Systems Plan—Outlines procedures for accessibility to critical digital assets and resources during a crisis situation.
• Reunification Plan—Outlines procedures for the safe, orderly, and documented release of students to their parents/guardians following an emergency evacuation.

• UCSD District Crisis Management Team meets frequently throughout the year to assess the effectiveness of emergency plans and makes adjustments as needed. UPD has provided a liaison police officer who attends all District Crisis Management Team meetings.
• All schools have safety committees that meet multiple times per year to review emergency response procedures specific to their building. 
• Students and staff practice safety drills throughout the year to help improve response times and safety procedures. 
• In 2024, all UCSD employees participated in a District-wide Safety Day. In partnership with the Urbandale Police Department, a portion of this full-day training focused on the safest course of actions to take during an active-threat situation.
• All UCSD exterior doors remain locked throughout the school day. Exterior doors also remain locked throughout the Adventuretime Before and After School program. 
• All buildings have a doorbell/camera system that provides controlled access; visitors must be granted access by the main office.
• All schools have implemented the Raptor visitor management system which establishes a consistent and uniform visitor check-in process as it has two main functions: 1) issues a dated visitor check-in badge/sticker complete with a name, photo, and destination, and 2) screens individuals against sex offender registries in all 50 states and several territories within the United States. Learn More
• Urbandale Police Department (UPD) has keys to all school buildings and all classrooms in case of emergency.
• UPD has access to school security cameras in case of emergency.
• UPD has conducted numerous building visits to examine the layout, entrance/exit points, and security of all UCSD schools.
• Throughout the school year, UPD patrol officers conduct daily visits to all schools. Officers are required to stop by each school every day school is in session, enter the school, and interact with staff/students. In doing so, UPD continues to build strong relationships with students and staff, and monitors schools for safety and security.
• Safe+Sound Iowa is an anonymous reporting tool for students, teachers, parents, and community members to help identify and provide intervention for students in crisis before they harm themselves or others. Reports of safety concerns can be made securely and anonymously three ways:  (1) Download the free Safe+Sound Iowa mobile app  (2) Visit Safe and Sound Iowa “Make A Report” (3) Call 800-224-6018.

A “Building Shelter-In-Place” is called when we’ve been notified of an unsafe situation taking place outside our school building that requires us to prevent anyone from exiting or entering the building. All functions of the day continue as normal with no one allowed to exit or enter the building. When we receive confirmation from law enforcement that the situation has been resolved, we make an announcement that the Building Shelter-In-Place has ended and we can return to our regular procedures for exiting and entering the building.

A “Secure Classrooms” is called when there is a medical or non-threatening situation taking place inside the building and we need to limit movement throughout the building to ensure the safety of students and staff. During this time, all students and staff remain in their classrooms with doors locked and teachers continue to teach class. Once the situation is deemed safe, we make an announcement that Secure Classrooms has ended and it’s now safe to return to our regularly scheduled day.

In collaboration with the Urbandale Police Department, UCSD has changed Lockdown protocols to Active Threat protocols. The main difference being the primary course of action—Lockdown focused primarily on hiding for safety, whereas Active Threat prioritizes exiting the building for safety. If it’s not possible to exit the building then students and staff will hide inside the building staying out of the line of sight. If faced with immediate danger, students and staff could defend themselves as a last resort. UCSD will provide phone call/text/app/email notifications to parents/guardians with instructions for reuniting with your child(ren). See “Regional Reunification Process” below for more information.

In the event there is severe weather or a tornado warning, students and staff will move to designated shelter areas inside the building. If severe weather occurs during dismissal, students will return to the building and move to shelter areas. Dismissal may be delayed due to severe weather. An announcement will be made when severe weather has passed and teachers will escort students back to class or proceed with dismissal. 

In the event students and staff must exit the school due to an unsafe situation impacting the building (e.g. gas leak), students and staff will either remain on school grounds or move to the designated local evacuation site. 

If it is safe to remain on school grounds, students and staff will evacuate the building and remain outside of the building on school grounds. If/when the building is deemed safe, students and staff will re-enter the building and continue with their regularly scheduled day. Standard dismissal procedures will be followed at the end of the school day.

If it is not safe to remain on school grounds, students and staff will move to the designated local evacuation site. Depending on the situation, students will either be dismissed from the local evacuation site or students and staff will be transported to the regional reunification center at which time the Regional Reunification Process will be implemented.

Dismissal from the local evacuation site: UCSD will provide phone call/text/app/email notifications to parents/guardians (or connected adults with notification privileges) with instructions for reuniting with your child(ren) at the evacuation site. For security reasons, evacuation site locations will not be shared ahead of time. Bus transportation will be arranged for students who are registered to ride the bus (i.e. the bus will pick up students from the local evacuation site and follow a similar bus route for taking children to their after-school destination). For students who do not ride the bus, parents/guardians, connected adult with notification privileges, or a designated emergency contact will need to go to the local evacuation site in order to pick up their child.

Parents/guardians, connected adult with notification privileges, or a designated emergency contact will need to bring a government-issued photo identification in order for staff to verify your identity. Students will not be allowed to walk home from the evacuation site. Parents/guardians (or connected adults with notification privileges) should pay close attention to their phone/computer in order to receive the most current evacuation information and instructions via phone call/text/app/email notifications. 

(Note: Only parents/guardians, connected adults with notification privileges, or designated emergency contacts will be able to pick up your child. Please make sure your emergency contacts are updated each year to reflect your current preferences.)

Current communication protocols for school security incidents and threats:

• Incident Level 1 (building-specific): If a school security incident is isolated to one building, either during school hours or outside of school hours, we will inform all families and staff in that specific building. 
• Incident Level 2 (potential to impact multiple buildings): If a school security incident has the potential to impact multiple buildings, either during school hours or outside of school hours, we will inform all District families and staff. 
• Non-Credible Threat: All threats are fully investigated. If a threat is deemed non-credible, meaning a threat was made with no intent and/or no ability to carry out the threat, we will inform all families and staff in the specific building that was targeted by the non-credible threat. If the potential exists for the non-credible threat to impact multiple buildings, we will inform all District families and staff.
• Credible Threat: All threats are fully investigated. If a threat is deemed credible, meaning a threat was made with intent and the ability exists to carry out the threat, we will inform all District families and staff. 
• Imminent Threat: If the threat is immediate (e.g. active shooter), we will inform all District families and staff. 

Opt-In to be notified of school security incidents at ALL schools (optional)

For UCSD families and staff who would like to be informed when a school security incident happens at a school for which they are not directly connected, we have created an opt-in group in ParentSquare titled, “School Security Incidents At All Schools.” All UCSD parents/guardians, staff, and UHS students may opt-in to be notified of school security incidents at all schools. To opt-in, you will need to be signed in to your Urbandale ParentSquare account. Only UCSD parents/guardians, staff, and UHS students may opt-in* to this group. 

Click the link below or scan the QR code to opt-in. When joining the group, select ‘Join’ once while the group is loading. If ‘Join’ is selected multiple times while the request is loading, it could remove you from the group. This group is NOT open to the public. Only UCSD-connected adults and high school students may join.

School Security Incidents At All Schools 

*Note: If you/your child attends Metro West Learning Academy and your home school is not UHS, please email communications@urbandaleschools.com with your name and contact information to be manually added to the group. 

UCSD will provide phone call/text/app/email notifications to parents/guardians (or connected adults with notification privileges) with instructions for reuniting with your child(ren). For security reasons, the regional reunification center location(s) will not be shared ahead of time. Parents/guardians (or connected adults with notification privileges) should pay close attention to their phone/computer in order to receive the most current reunification information and instructions via phone call/text/app/email notifications.

Students will only be released to a custodial parent/guardian, connected adult with notification privileges, or a designated emergency contact whose identity has been verified. (Note: Only parents/guardians, connected adults with notification privileges, and designated emergency contacts will be able to pick up your child. Please make sure your emergency contacts are updated each year to reflect your current preferences.)

• Government-issued photo identification is required. 
• If time allows, bring any emergency medications your child may need. You could provide these to your child as soon as you are reunited.

The reunification process is intended to protect both the safety of the student and provide for an accountable transfer of the student from the school to the verified custodial parent/guardian, connected adult with notification privileges, or designated emergency contact. Please be patient with the reunification staff who will be working to reunite you with your child as soon as possible. 

• Where to go: Do NOT go to the school. Instead, you will be reunited with your child at the regional reunification center (specific location will be shared with parents/guardians).
• Parking: Follow traffic control / law enforcement directions for parking at the regional reunification center. 
• Parent Check-In: Go to the Parent Check-In area and form lines based on the first letter of your child’s last name. Complete a Student Information Form. One form needs to be completed for each child at the regional reunification center. Be prepared to provide a government-issued photo ID. 
• Parent Waiting Area: After check-in, you will be directed to the Parent Waiting Area. Families will wait while their child is being retrieved from the Student Waiting Area. Keep in mind, your child may still be on a bus in transit from the evacuation site. If there is a medical concern with your child, you may be directed to meet with a counselor. 
• Release Door: Students will be escorted to the Release Door to be reunited with their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians will be escorted to the Release Door to be reunited with their child(ren). Staff will confirm the identity of the parent/guardian and identity of the child to ensure the parent/guardian is authorized to reunite with the child. (Note: Only parents/guardians, connected adults with notification privileges, and designated emergency contacts will be able to pick up your child. Please make sure your emergency contacts are updated each year to reflect your current preferences.)
• Support Services: As you and your child exit the reunification site, you will receive resources for support services.

• During an emergency situation, UCSD will focus on ensuring the safety of students and staff, collaborating with law enforcement to determine the scope of the crisis, and then providing information to parents/guardians and staff. Oftentimes, initial information shared by sources other than the District can be incomplete and/or inaccurate. Therefore, please pay close attention to your phone/computer in order to receive the most complete and accurate District information and instructions delivered via phone call/text/app/email notifications. 
• Please DO NOT go to your child’s school. Law enforcement will establish a secure perimeter around the building / neighborhood and only emergency responders will be allowed inside / near the perimeter.
• Please do not call your child’s school. Main office staff will be collaborating with law enforcement to ensure the safety of your child(ren).
• Please do not call 911 with questions about the emergency situation. Law enforcement will be responding to the situation. 
• Follow instructions provided by the District. Check to make sure you have a government-issued photo ID with you prior to going to the local evacuation site or regional reunification center. The District will provide information about where you need to go to reunite with your child. 
• Only parents/guardians, connected adults with notification privileges, and designated emergency contacts will be able to pick up your child. Please make sure your emergency contacts are updated each year to reflect your current preferences.
• UCSD may post non-confidential updates on the District website, Facebook, and X/Twitter (@UrbandaleCSD) to the extent it is safe to share information via these public mediums. Any specific information and instructions regarding the emergency situation, evacuation, and/or reunification will be sent directly to parents/guardians and connected adults with notification privileges via phone call/text/app/email notifications.