A Message from Principal Alli Chryst

Dear Shuksan families, students and staff,

We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your cooperation and support during the safety protocols we followed on Wednesday, Nov. 1. Here is more information and context to answer some questions we have been receiving:

• At around 3:41 p.m. Wednesday, Bellingham Police requested us to place Shuksan into a Lockdown protocol due to police activity in the neighborhood.
• Within just a few minutes and prior to our first ParentSquare alert to families, BPD consulted further with district staff and the requested action was updated to the Secure protocol.
• We lifted the Lockdown using the intercom system, and proceeded into a Secure protocol, and communicated this with staff, students and families via ParentSquare.
• The Secure protocol lasted for around 15 minutes and was lifted per BPD’s advice. We then communicated again via ParentSquare and began a supervised dismissal of students, since it was the end of the school day.

As a reminder: the Secure protocol is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building and uses the security of the physical facility to act as protection. During Secure protocol, all students and staff are brought into the secured building and all exterior doors are locked. Classes and activities can continue uninterrupted inside the building. Any safety protocol may affect dismissal of students if it needs to happen near the end of the school day, as it did on Nov. 1.

More information about our school safety protocols is available at our safety webpage.

Our students and staff did an outstanding job following the steps of the Secure protocol, and we are immensely thankful for the trust and willingness everyone showed to follow the safety protocols in place to protect our students and the school community. Student, staff and family cooperation played a crucial role in maintaining a secure environment during this challenging time.

We want to emphasize the importance of listening to and complying with school staff and law enforcement personnel during any safety protocols. We know that any safety protocol used at school, especially a Lockdown (even if it only lasts for a couple of minutes), raises anxiety and concerns for safety, and your cooperation allows school staff and law enforcement to focus on the safety of all.

If you have any questions or require any additional information, please contact us. We are here to support you and your students, and your input is invaluable to us.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to every one of you for your understanding, cooperation, and commitment to the safety and well-being of our Shuksan Middle School community. Together, we can continue to prioritize a safe and secure learning environment for our students.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Alli