St. Mary Student / Parent Reunification Information
In some emergency situations, the school will require parents to pick up students in a formalized, controlled release. The process of this release is called a reunification and may be necessary due to weather, power outage, hazmat or other emergency. In the event of criminal activity, injury or death, additional time for release may be needed in order to accommodate law enforcement investigation. Reunification is a process that protects the safety of the student and provides accountability in releasing a student to an authorized parent or guardian. Since a reunification is not a typical end of school day event, a reunification may occur at a different location or even at another off campus site.
We understand parents will be concerned for the welfare of their child(ren). Please be assured your child/children are being well taken care of by trained staff while they are awaiting reunification. St. Mary School personnel will work as quickly as possible to reunify you with your child(ren).
The school will use any of the following forms of notification, depending on the situation:
- The automated alert system (info sent via text, email or phone call as long as the parent or guardian has enabled text notification in their profile) in SchoolSpeak
- Direct phone calls from staff as applicable school email, local TV or radio
- Information posted on our website www.saintmaryschool.com
★ Parent Response
When a parent is notified of a controlled release and that reunification is needed, the following will likely occur:
- Traffic jams, emergency vehicles, and road blockages around the school and local highways.
- Phone lines directly to the school will be overwhelmed and may not be quickly responded to.
- A crisis event that impacts St. Mary School has the potential to also impact St. Francis High School, Phoebe Hearst and Sac State students. In the event our students need to leave the campus quickly, they would go to one of the two reunification sites. One site is at the end of Janey Way and the other is at the end of N Street by Phoebe Hearst School. Due to emergency vehicles possibly closing streets around school, we ask for parents to wait in the Save Mart Shopping Center parking lot. That will be our staging area for parents to wait safely until reunited with their children.
- Parents will be notified of a designated site from which to pick up your students. Students will not be allowed to leave from any other area.
- All students must be accounted for and released via the St. Mary School reunification process. Please do not ask your student to circumvent the process, run from personnel, jump a fence etc. This will just delay your student’s release and may cause additional law enforcement issues.
- Parents will be directed to a reunification check-in area.
- Lines will be formed based on the first letter of the student’s last name.
- While in line, parents or emergency pick-up designee will be required to show ID.
- Only parents and individuals indicated on student emergency contact forms will be allowed to sign out students during reunification.
- Bring identification (this will streamline the release during reunification).
- Reunification may be a lengthy, detailed process that protects both the safety of the student and the accountability of change of custody from school to a recognized parent or guardian.
★ What if parents can’t pick up their student?
When a parent can’t respond to the reunification site, students will only be released to individuals previously identified on the student’s emergency contact form. Otherwise, the school will hold students until parents can pick up their student. Please keep this information accurate and updated in SchoolSpeak parent and student profiles to include emergency contacts and cell phone numbers and cell phone carriers.
Questions may be directed to Mrs. Mary DaRosa at [email protected] or St. Mary School Counselor and Safety Manager, Mrs. Michelle Timm at [email protected].
