Reunification
One critical aspect of emergency response is an accountable reunification of students with their parent/guardian in the event of a school crisis or emergency. The Standard Reunification Method provides school safety teams with methods for planning, practicing, and achieving successful reunification. Site-specific considerations will impact how these practices can be integrated into school safety plans. The nature of the specific campus or community emergency can also impact the location of the reunification process. Successful reunification planning and implementation involves partnerships with first response agencies in our area, including Hays County Sheriff’s Office, Hays County Emergency Preparedness, Wimberley Fire and Rescue, Wimberley EMS, our Constable’s Office, and/or Department of Public Safety.
On-Campus Reunification
Depending on the situation, reunification (or modified release) may happen at the affected campus. Logistically, this is the easiest solution since students and staff are already there and won’t need to be transported to another location. If the school is a safe location and first responders are in agreement to keep reunification on-site, students may be dismissed from either indoor or outdoor locations on campus. Parents/guardians will receive official information about reunification plans from the office of our district Public Information Officer, including when to arrive, what to bring (identification), and where to go on campus to pick up students.
Off-Campus Reunification
If first responders and school officials deem it unsafe for students and staff to remain on campus–or if parents and/or media coming to the school may create more of a hazard–then an off-campus reunification plan will be implemented. This can be a more challenging and time-consuming scenario because students and staff will need to be transported to another location.
The specific location would be determined at the time the decision is made to reunify off-campus. School officials would take instructions from emergency responders regarding when and how to transport students and staff safely from the school to another location. It will take time to arrange transportation and necessary supplies and personnel for off-site reunification. Parents/guardians will receive official information about reunification plans from the office of our WISD Public Information Officer, including when and where to go, and what to bring (identification), to safely pick up students.
What Can Parents/Guardians Do Now, to Prepare for Possible Reunification Events?
- Make sure your contact information is current in Skyward, including cell phone and work phone numbers and addresses.
- Update emergency contacts in Skyward. Anyone who may need to pick up your student in case of an emergency dismissal should be included in your child’s list of emergency contacts in Skyward. This will significantly reduce the amount of time needed to verify who the school staff will allow to pick up your student, should you not be able to get to a reunification right away.
- Make sure you are receiving campus and district emails. If you are not, you may not be on the campus’s or district’s distribution list. This could affect whether you receive emergency communications. If you are concerned that you are not receiving campus or district emails, please contact your child’s/children’s campus registrar(s).
- Be prepared to arrive at the reunification site with your picture ID.
- Be prepared to park and walk up to the reunification site. Or, you may be asked to stay in your car for a possible drive-through reunification. Specific plans will be communicated to parents/guardians directly from the district Public Information Officer through texts, emails, and/or automated phone calls.
- Be aware of what reunification is and how long it can take. The school’s main goal is always to get children safely back to their families. Reunification is a lengthy process that requires planning, verification, documentation, and traffic control. In this kind of situation, parents/guardians can provide the most assistance by remaining patient and flexible, listening to official communications from the school district, and following on-site directions from law enforcement and school officials.
Additional Parent Materials from The Standard Reunification Method (SRM)
The parent video and handout below provide a good overview of the SRM. While not all reunifications will look exactly the same, the basic steps and requirements you see in the video and on the handout will be common to on-campus and off-campus reunifications. Some reunifications will require parents to park and walk up to start the process. Other reunifications will be designed to allow parents to stay in their vehicles for a drive-through process. During emergencies and reunifications, specific plans and instructions will be communicated to parents/guardians by the district Public Information Officer.
Parent's_Guide_to_Reunification_ENG-Captions (1).m4v