School Emergency Operation Plan For Maricopa Christian Academy

School Emergency Operations Plan for Maricopa Christian Academy

We are conducting our annual summer review of the School Emergency Operations Plan for Maricopa Christian Academy. This plan includes procedures for:

1. Notification from the Maricopa Police Department regarding a possible threat.

2. Notifying the Maricopa Police Department of a trespasser on campus.

3. Responding to incoming hazardous weather.

4. Conducting fire drills and medical emergency response procedures.

5. Providing clearly marked and color-coded campus escape maps.

One of the reasons parents want their children to carry cell phones at school is so they can contact them during an emergency. While we understand this concern, the following example illustrates why we do not allow students to carry personal phones with them during the school day. Student phones are collected and stored in a secure location at the school.

The following example comes from The Digital Division by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath:

“During the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, student phone use clogged communication networks, hampering coordination among officials. False reports of multiple shooters spread rapidly on social media, sowing confusion among students and police alike. And hundreds of panicked parents alerted in real time by their children rushed to the campus, unintentionally blocking access for EMTs. In crisis, the safest response is a small, well-trained team of adults following a clear plan, not hundreds of teenagers simultaneously broadcasting conflicting reports. Controlled, coordinated communication saves lives. Chaos does not.”

My experience in education over the past 50 years agrees with Dr. Horvath’s assessment. As we complete our School Emergency Operations Plan for the 2026–2027 school year, our goal is to provide clear, concise, and purposeful training for our staff regarding all safety protocols. Through careful planning and preparation, we will make every effort to maintain a safe learning environment and protect the students entrusted to our care.