Norwalk Public Schools has protocols in place that ensures that student safety is a priority. This includes the creation of a standard resource guide for all schools, establishing a school safety team in each school, and creating a year-long school safety activity schedule that includes drills and exercises. Additionally, a standard system of numbering all exterior and interior doors has been implemented to speed school and emergency response to any incident.

NPS works in partnership with the Norwalk Fire and Police Departments to create an inclusive safety culture, so that everyone can improve his or her level of readiness. A critical component in the plan is the classroom response to an incident at school. School staff plan and train for weather events, fire, accidents, intruders and other threats to student safety. Everyone has a responsibility in a school emergency including students, teachers, staff and administration, and parents/caregivers.

Our school safety program includes a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) based on five simple actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. In the event of an emergency, the action and appropriate direction will be announced.  

Each school will drill these actions over the course of the school year.  We encourage you to practice these actions at home as well, such as having family fire drills.

To learn more about the actions taken in the event of an emergency, please watch our NPS Safety Videos on YouTube.

We understand that in the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook and other recent events, your first reaction to reports of a potential incident may be to immediately go to the school. However, doing so will interfere with the response and activities of the first responders. Therefore, it is the responsibility of Norwalk Public Schools to provide you with the most updated and credible information as quickly as possible. This may not be immediately possible, since our focus is on the safety of the students and staff. For updates, Norwalk Public Schools will use the following methods of communicating during an event:

• Norwalk Public Schools website: portal.norwalkps.org
• Telephone/Text notification via our automated School Messenger system
• NPS social media sites, including NPS Twitter (@NorwalkPS) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/NorwalkPS) accounts.  

As a parent/ caregiver of a Norwalk student, you also have a critical role to play in an emergency. For the process to work, everyone needs to understand their roles and responsibilities.

• DO NOT show up at your child’s school unless instructed to do so by authorities. 
• If access roads to the school are closed, do not attempt to gain access through other areas of the property. You may be misidentified as an intruder, and your attempt at entry will distract staff and responders from more urgent tasks.
• Visit the website or social media sites listed above for credible and updated information. Do not forward information via social media unless it is from one of these credible sources.
• DO NOT call the school office or 911 for updates.