WCPSS to adopt five-word Standard Response Protocol for 2026–27 school year

A staff member for WCPSS announced that the district has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and that the policy will take effect in the 2026–2027 school year (AR 2026–2027).

The SRP, the speaker said, is a plain-language system used by districts nationwide that replaces color codes with five action words so students, staff and emergency personnel have a common response. "El SRP es un enfoque integral para todo tipo de emergencias que utiliza un lenguaje sencillo, claro y común para todos los estudiantes, el personal escolar y los servicios de emergencia," the staff member said.

Why it matters: District officials said the SRP is intended to make emergency instructions easier to understand and follow during a crisis. The staff member said the protocol was developed by a national nonprofit identified in the transcript as "I Love You Guys" and that it is already in use in other school districts.

How it will work: The staff member described the five SRP actions and their typical uses. "Las cinco acciones son hold," the speaker said, explaining that a hold keeps corridors clear and that "la enseñanza y el aprendizaje continúan con normalidad en el salón de clase" during a hold. For an outside threat, officials will call "secure," which directs people to get inside and secures exterior doors while staff provide movement instructions. During a lockdown, the speaker said the SRP follows the phrase "Locks, Lights Out, Out of Sight" to secure classrooms, keep students silent and out of view; emergency response team members will visit classrooms to reopen them.

The staff member said an "evacuate" order moves students and staff to another location or out of the building — for example, to escape a gas leak or fire — and may include a specific relocation site. "Shelter" was described as sheltering in place based on the type of hazard, such as seeking protection from a tornado and moving those outside into an approved structure quickly and safely.

Implementation: The district will provide annual training on the five actions and conduct drills so students and staff can respond calmly and efficiently, the staff member said. The announcement closed with a request for community cooperation to keep schools safe.

The announcement did not specify which schools will modify procedures first, whether there are changes to staffing or funding tied to SRP training, or who will oversee compliance.