Emergency procedures in schools: What substitute teachers and staff need to know.

Understanding emergency procedures in schools is vital for your work and safety as a substitute teacher, paraeducator, or really any other role. Procedures for fire drills, weather-related events, or active shooter situations differ from school to school and can change quickly, over time, with little to no notice.  

• Always review the procedures before every assignment!  

• Be aware of school policies, as they can vary by each school. 

• Many schools have a policy against holding the door open for others, to prevent an unsafe person from entering the building. 

What to ask when you arrive at school:

As part of onboarding, you completed emergency procedures training. You must familiarize yourself with individual safety procedures for each building you serve as a substitute teacher.

• Talk with your direct supervisor at the start of each assignment about any changes to standard operating procedures for emergencies.  

• The regular classroom teacher will likely have a safety binder or folder in their classroom about drills and/or actual emergencies. Take some time to review this folder at the start of each job.
• If you are unable to locate the procedures or the teacher's plans are incomplete, please contact the office or speak to an administrator to ensure you are prepared.
• If after asking, you are not provided the procedures, please notify Kelly Education (if you work for us) so that we can partner with the school/district to ensure these materials are available. 

Safety-related situations you may encounter as a substitute teacher:

Planned drills. 

If staff members have been notified beforehand that a fire, tornado, or intruder / active shooter drill will occur, you can place your belongings in a safe place before the alarm sounds.   

Unplanned drills. 

School administrators run unplanned drills during the school day to test staff preparedness. Act as if the drill is a real emergency, even if you think it’s a drill.  Leave your belongings behind and focus solely on the safety of your students. Act calmly and lead your students appropriately, as they will follow your guidance.  

Unplanned events. 

Your school will likely have different procedures for different emergency events. It is critical to be prepared for all these emergencies. While each school is different, emergency procedures may look like the following:  

• Fire: The teacher escorts the class out of the classroom in an orderly line, and closes the door. Everyone leaves the building to stand outside in a single-file line in the designated meeting spots. The teacher takes attendance. If a student is not accounted for, notify administration immediately. 

• Tornado: The teacher escorts students into the hallway, where they’re instructed to crouch down, bellies touching their thighs, with their hands covering their necks. Once students have crouched down, substitute teachers should also crouch down until given the "All Clear". 

• Earthquake: Students and staff crouch under sturdy tables, holding onto the table until they’re given the “All-Clear” to come out. 

• Intruder / Active Shooter*: Schools have a coded announcement if an unsafe person enters the building for lockdown. Many schools ask that you turn off the lights in your classroom, lock the door, and move all students to an area where they are not visible from the hallway. You will receive a notification that you’ve been given the “All-Clear”.  

Steps to keep you and your students safe:

Understand the layout of the campus. 

Know where your designated meeting spot is if there’s a fire or other reason to leave the building. If the map in the classroom teacher’s binder is tough to understand, ask a fellow teacher or administrator where you’re to go if there’s a fire drill. It’s also important to know where the nearest exit to the building is from your classroom, as well as the second-nearest exit if your nearest exit is blocked.  

Remember, student safety is your top priority. 

There is no time to worry about your things in the event of an emergency. Leave your personal belongings behind and focus on keeping your students safe. Tell students to leave their personal belongings behind as well.  

If you see something, say something. 

Understand the school's operating procedures for suspicious events or actions.   

• Know who to report to if you see something concerning.  

• Don’t assume a student is joking or that you’re overreacting in the event of a threat of violence or other danger.  

• Even if the student doesn’t intend to follow through with the act, speaking to an administrator can provide students with a reality check on what is and isn’t appropriate to say out loud, potentially saving them from trouble later in life. 

Stay calm—students will follow your lead. 

The more you can relax and focus on the task at hand, the more easily your students will do the same. It may be necessary to speak firmly and quickly in emergency situations. Act with confidence and decisiveness, even if you feel stressed. When a normal routine is broken, students need a leader, and it’s your job to help them feel as safe and cared for as possible.  

Grow your education career with Kelly Education.

At Kelly Education, we’re here to provide you with the support you need to thrive at work, no matter what classroom you’re stepping into for the day. We encourage you to review our library of materials to support substitute teaching success, including:

• Classroom management for substitute teachers 

• What not to do as a substitute teacher 

• How to become a substitute teacher in your state 

If you’re interested in beginning a fulfilling career as a substitute teacher or paraeducator, we’d love to talk to you! Fill out our brief interest form, and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions and help you get started.