Understanding Our School Safety and Security Language

Dear Mustang Nation Families,

At Governor Mifflin School District, your child’s safety is our top priority. Throughout the school year, we will use specific safety and security terms to communicate with students, staff, and families. We want to take this opportunity at the beginning of the school year to ensure that you are familiar with this language so that, if a situation arises, you’ll know exactly what it means and how we’re keeping students safe.  Our district follows the “Standard Response Protocol” developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation, which provides clear, consistent actions for different types of safety situations. Below are the most common safety terms you may hear:

• Lockdown: Used when there is a threat inside the school building. Doors are locked, lights are off, and everyone stays quiet and out of sight until an “all clear” is given.

• Secure: Used when there is a potential threat outside the school (such as police activity in the neighborhood). All exterior doors are locked, and normal activities continue inside.

• Shelter: Used during events such as severe weather, environmental hazards, or nearby safety concerns. Students remain indoors until it’s safe to resume normal activities.

• Evacuate: Used when it is safest to leave the building, such as during a fire alarm. Students and staff move to a designated safe location.

• Hold: Used when hallways need to be kept clear (such as during a medical emergency). Classroom instruction continues as usual.

When any of the safety terms are implemented in any district building(s), the district will always follow up with a communication to those families who have students in that building(s) and based on the particular situation, will keep families updated with any necessary further information. In order to ensure messaging is delivered in a timely fashion to those directly impacted, families of children in unaffected buildings and the broader community will receive communications only as deemed necessary based on the situation at hand and how it impacts public safety and the safety of individuals within other buildings.

We conduct regular safety drills throughout the year so students and staff know exactly what to do in an emergency. These drills are always conducted in an age-appropriate manner, with the goal of building confidence, not fear.  

In terms of “active intruder drills,” the building principal will provide advance notice of these drills to parent and legal guardians of the students in the affected building.  According to Pennsylvania Public School Code — Section 1517 (a.1), at least one school security drill per school building must be conducted within the first 90 days of each school year, in place of a required fire drill.  After the initial drill, districts may conduct up to two such drills per school building per school year in lieu of two fire drills.  Although our staff, teachers, and administrators will review the purpose and expectations surrounding these drills, we have provided some attached talking points for parents to discuss and reinforce with their student(s).

If you have questions about our safety procedures or want more information about the terms above, please reach out to our Director of Safe Schools and School Culture, Mr. Jeff Reichart, at 610-775-1461. Mr. Reichart will also be presenting at Superintendent’s Starting Line on August 21, 2025. This presentation will begin at 6:00 PM in the Governor Mifflin High School Auditorium (101 S. Waverly St., Shillington, PA 19607). We encourage all in our community to attend this presentation.

More information on safety procedures are in the PDF files attached below:

Standard Response Protocol for Parents/Guardians - English 

Standard Response Protocol for Parents/Guardians - Spanish 

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our schools safe, secure, and welcoming for every student.

Sincerely,
Governor Mifflin School District