Sage Hill School is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our entire community.
We are dedicated to this standard of care and invite you to be part of the solution as a welcomed and engaged member of our community. Through this partnership, we may better serve you and your family. As a result, we ask you to review and become familiar with what you may expect from us in times of need and what we ask of you to assist us.
In the Event of an Emergency
If a disaster occurs during school hours, Sage Hill School administration will determine the course of action and oversee the release of students. Updates will be posted on the Sage Hill website and the School will use our emergency notification systems to communicate updates via phone call, text message and/or email. Faculty and staff will stay with your student until they are picked up by you or an authorized adult. All of our faculty and staff are currently certified in basic first aid and CPR and many are certified disaster service workers through Newport Beach Fire Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). In addition to first aid, faculty and staff teams are also organized and trained in additional Incident Command teams aligned with National Incident Management System (NIMS) standards. These include: security, search & rescue, attendance and communications, to name a few. Our campus maintains food, water and other supplies that are intended to support the needs of the entire community for at least 48 hours.
Do not call the School, as it will be necessary to keep the telephone lines open to communicate with emergency and government personnel.
Please wait for the School’s emergency notification systems to notify you with current information and special instructions. To receive up-to-date information, be accessible at the emergency telephone number/email address you have provided to the School via Records.
Reunification: When can I come to campus to pick up my student after an emergency?
One of the most challenging situations for any school is reuniting students with guardians directly following an emergency. As we all know, drop off and pick up present everyday challenges that would only be exacerbated in a disaster or emergency situation. We ask for collective patience and trust in our system that was designed under professional advisement. Our reunification process is aligned with national standards of care (NIMS) and allows for interoperability with emergency services to provide the highest level of safety for our community. In order for this system to work safely and accurately, please keep the following points in mind:
- The nature of this process is time consuming; please know that we will give every student the time and attention needed. As a result, we ask for patience in times of disaster, as accountability is key. Accountability takes time and success is not measured by speed.
- Emergencies are emotional for all of us, please know that we are compassionate and empathetic. Please be mindful that the care of everyone is important and we cannot rush the process for you to the detriment of others. We will do our very best to care for one another, and we ask you to share in this common goal and reflect this in your actions.
- Please follow all directions sent to you via our emergency notification systems. You may not be allowed to come to Sage Hill to reunite with your student. The situation and conditions will dictate the response. Sage Hill might not be making the decisions, as we may be told what to do by local authorities.
- Do not arrive spontaneously. Sage Hill has two lanes that come onto campus, and we may need them for emergency vehicle access. Please do not become part of the problem. You will be advised of when and where to meet.
When you are directed to arrive at a pick-up location (which will be determined and communicated to you during the incident):
- Follow all directions given to you.
- Do not park in non-parking areas.
- Do not block roadways.
- Know that you will be greeted and sorted into two groups: students ready for pick up and students receiving care.
- You will be reunited with your student as soon as possible.
- Dismissal for student drivers and non-driving students who wish to leave with a student driver will be done in accordance with the Transportation policy in our School Handbook.