The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) and its partners in the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities have created resources to help school districts create safe and supportive schools where students can thrive.
The Big Five
The Big Five is a common emergency plan adopted by all San Mateo County school districts and law enforcement agencies. Created by San Mateo County's Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities, it provides five immediate action responses in any given emergency: Shelter in Place; Drop, Cover, and Hold On; Secure Campus; Lockdown/Barricade; and Evacuation.
The Big Five has become the cornerstone of emergency response for San Mateo County’s schools. Versions of The Big Five are available for administrators, school staff, and the community:
- Administrator Packet
- Staff Packet
- Community Packet (English) (Traditional Chinese) (Spanish) (Tagalog)
- Facilities Report
- Hazard Responses
The Big Five is made engaging and easy to understand through the children's book, Think on Your Feet Peet. This book acts as a great entry-point to the Big Five in classroom settings.
Emergency Management Resource Guide
Emergency management includes four key phases: mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Becoming familiar with all of these phases can help a school be better prepared in case of an emergency.
Four Phases of an Emergency
Additional Protocols
Student Threat Assessment and Suicide Prevention
The San Mateo County Office of Education has revised the Student Threat Assessment Level 1 Protocol and the Suicide Prevention Protocol. This training reviews the changes for returning staff as well as provides an overview of each protocol for new staff. As students return to campus, revisiting both protocols is extremely important.
- Student Threat Assessment and Suicide Prevention Protocol Training (August 25, 2021)
Student Threat Assessment
Each school site should form a Level One Student Threat Assessment Team, which is a multidisciplinary team consisting of an administrator, a school counselor, and a School Resource Officer to support students who may pose as a threat to themselves or others. The Level One Team will investigate the incident and fill out the assessment form linked below.
Suicide Prevention Protocol
The purpose of this protocol is to outline administrative procedures for intervening with suicidal and self-injurious students and offer guidelines to school site crisis teams in the recovery phase following a completed suicide.
Translated Pages for Families:
- General Guidelines Elementary (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- General Guidelines Secondary (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- How to help your child after a suicide (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- Release to Parents (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- Return to School Plan (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- Sample Letter to Parent (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
- Student Safety Plan (Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog)
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Sexual Assault
Online Safety Guide for Parents of Children and Teens (English) (Spanish)
How to Talk to Your Children about Sex, Sexting, and Digital Safety (English) (Spanish)
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)
- CSEC Protocol
- CSEC Symposium, June 24, 2021 (YouTube Video)
Sexual Assault
Mary McGrath
Executive Director, Safe and Supportive Schools
Email: mmcgrath@smcoe.org
Phone: (650) 802-5425
Molly Henricks
Coordinator, School Safety and Risk Prevention
Email: mhenricks@smcoe.org
Phone: (650) 802-5434
Teaching Materials
Engage students in thinking about the Big Five through the story of Peet and the Slimeville Monsters.