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School Safety Plans

Bulloch County Schools and its 15 schools and learning centers are required by law to do the following:

  • Have school safety plans in place
  • Conduct drills on that plan (i.e. Lockdown, Evacuation, Fire, and Severe Weather Drills)
  • Have a process for reviewing and updating the plans annually
  • Have the plans on file with the Bulloch County Emergency Management Agency

Safety Plans: Each of Bulloch County Schools' campuses has a school safety team in place, and the school district employs a school safety officer to oversee safety and ensure compliance with these requirements. School safety plans address the four main categories of concern:  Prevention; Preparedness; Response; and Recovery.

Plans address school violence prevention training, mental health awareness, school security measures, partnerships with public safety officials, and more. They are developed in coordination with local law enforcement and the local juvenile court system and approved by the local emergency management and law enforcement agencies.  The Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security provide support and training as districts develop their school safety plans. 

School Safety Drills: Every public school in Georgia is required to have a school safety plan and to conduct drills on that plan. 

School Lockdown Drills: Beginning in 2023, every public school in Georgia is required to annually practices lockdown drills at each of its schools and offices, just like it does with fire, severe weather, and evacuation drills. Lockdown drills help employees and students know what to do if an intruder is on or near a campus. Led by school faculty, the drills give students simple age-appropriate instructions about where to go and what to do during a lockdown. The drills also help spark conversations with students about why the drill is important and how practicing can help everyone remember what to do. The lockdown drills last approximately 10 minutes, and they do not currently use any real-life scenarios. Bulloch County Schools' Student Wellness & Support Department has provided school administrators, teachers and counselors with age-appropriate talking points to use as needed with students.

  • Official Code of Georgia 20-2-1185:
    • "Every public school shall prepare a school safety plan to help curb the growing incidence of violence in schools, to respond effectively to such incidents, and to provide a safe learning environment for Georgia's children, teachers, and other school personnel. Such plan shall also address preparedness for natural disasters, hazardous materials or radiological accidents, acts of violence, and acts of terrorism....Such plans shall be reviewed and, if necessary, updated annually.  Such plans of public schools shall be submitted to the local emergency management agency."
  • Official Code of Georgia 50-18-72: Disclosure of school safety plans is not required under open records laws.
    • "School safety plans prepared pursuant to Code Section 20-2-1185, whether in the 175 possession of a local school system, a local law enforcement agency, a local emergency 176 management agency, the Department of Education, the Georgia Emergency Management  177 and Homeland Security Agency, or any other public entity."
  • The Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security are required by law to provide safety training for schools.