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About School Safety

About School Safety

Keeping students and staff safe is one of the highest priorities and responsibilities of Manhattan-Ogden USD 383. We conduct training for staff and students with our first responder partners to ensure the most recent, relevant procedures are in place. A secured access entrance provides each school’s office staff control over who enters the building.

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 uses the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). This is a simplified crisis response that helps staff, students, parents and first responders to quickly and adequately respond to crisis situations. The SRP is based on five actions: Secure Campus, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter and Hold. Our District Crisis Team is comprised of school and department representatives. Community partners also have a presence on the District Crisis Team, which include the Riley County Police Department, Manhattan Fire Fire Department, Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office,  and Riley County Emergency Management. This team actively works together to advise and help develop training and resources for the district.

All schools have severe weather shelters, secured entrances, enhanced security cameras, updated alarm systems and improved ADA accessibility.

Contact Us

Michele Jones – Director of Communications, Health, and Safety

Phone: 785-587-2000

Located at the Robinson Education Center, 2031 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502

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USD 383 Safety Weeks

Each early learning center and K–12 school in Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 designates a school safety week during the school year. Coordinated drills are an excellent way for staff and students to practice what they would do during a real emergency or crisis. Remaining calm can make a big difference in safety and security, so we are making time to practice these drills with our community partners.

We also want to make sure that parents/guardians know what is going on when your kids talk with you about the drills.

We appreciate your patience and understanding if our drills interfere with your coming to and going from our building! You are welcome to join us.

School safety week is not meant to frighten students, staff and parents. This week is not meant to demean or punish schools if something goes wrong during one of the drills. This is a week of education. We want to give our students and staff the best safety foundation that we can. We are fortunate to have great community partners that also feel strongly about drills and practicing.

If you have questions about our School Safety Weeks, please contact Michele Jones, Director of Communications, Health, and Safety at 785-587-2000.

Generally, this is what will happen during school safety weeks:

  • The fire department watches and evaluates a fire drill. Sometimes the fire department sets up their smoke machine and we block off an exit route. Students and staff practice existing the building using their primary and secondary routes. We make sure that all students and staff are accounted for once they are in a safe zone. Fire personnel check to make sure that students and staff are far enough away from the building so that fire engines and other vehicles can easily get to the hydrants. Fire personnel also learn where all of the controls for the building are located and take a tour of school at the end of the drill.

  • Every USD 383 school/building has a designated severe weather shelter. All students and staff are accounted for once they are in a secure location.

    When the severe weather siren is activated, all students, staff and visitors that are at the building will move to the severe weather shelter. Doors will remain locked and phones will not be answered. The severe weather shelters are available for students, staff and visitors who are within the building when the siren is activated. Our shelters are not public shelters. Parents/guardians should have their own severe weather plan and should not come to the school when the siren is activated.

  • Each school will evacuate to their primary or secondary evacuation site. All students and adults in the building will evacuate. Once at the evacuation site, parent reunification will be set up and practiced. This is a great logistical drill – how to get all students and staff from point A to point B and back to point A – and make sure that everyone is accounted for.

  • Secure Campus means that something is happening outside of our school building and we want to keep it outside. Students and staff that are outside are brought back into the building and all doors are locked and secured. No one leaves or enters the building until the situation is over (building judgement). Activities inside the building remain normal.

  • Riley County Police Department will present education about lock down drills. RCPD will talk with students (age-appropriate) about why a police officer might be in their school and that the most important thing that kids can do is listen to the instructions of their teacher. RCPD will also go around to each classroom and talk with teachers about the best location for students to be in the classroom and other things that teachers can do to increase the safety for themselves and their students. After the education from RCPD on lock downs, we practice a lock down drill.

  • Hold means that all students and staff should hold in their classroom or office until the situation is under control. Hold could be used for a medical emergency, student disturbance, etc. Something is happening inside the school and we need everyone to hold where they are at.