School Emergency Plans Depend on Parent Support

Teachers and staff members at Ridgemoor Elementary School conducted an orderly pick-up procedure for students following a lockdown on Wednesday for the investigation of a suspicious package.

Wednesday's lockdown of Ridgemoor Elementary School and early release of students to their parents served as an emergency drill of sorts for teachers and administrators. And although a school district spokesperson said the situation was handled well, the need for even more parent support and cooperation was emphasized today.

According to Betti Cadmus, public information officer for the Menifee Union School District, the only real problem encountered by school officials was having incorrect contact information on file for some parents. A voice mail was sent out as soon as possible following the lockdown for discovery of a suspicious package, but there was a delay in notifying some parents because contact information was incomplete or incorrect.

In addition, Cadmus said, some parents did not know the name of their children's teacher when asked by school officials so the student could be located as quickly as possible.

As it turned out, there was no danger to students. The suspicious package turned out not to be a dangerous device. Menifee 24/7 reported the incident and instructions on how to pick up students as quickly as possible, but this news website should not serve as a replacement for official school notification.

Parents are urged to work with school officials to make sure their contact information is correct and complete and that they know to which teacher and room their student is assigned. In an emergency, information is critical.