As part of our continuous effort to improve and standardize our safety procedures, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) for all schools, effective for the 2025-2026 school year. This protocol, developed by the national non-profit “I Love U Guys” Foundation, is used by school districts across the country to create a predictable and unified response to any school-based incident.

The SRP is an all-hazards approach that uses simple, clear, common language for all students, staff, and first responders. Instead of having dozens of different codes for specific scenarios, the SRP is based on five simple actions. When an incident occurs, a specific action will be announced, followed by instructions.

The five actions are:

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  Hold: Students and staff stay in their classrooms or area and clear the hallways. This is typically used for situations inside the school, such as a medical emergency.

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  Secure: Students are brought inside the building and all outside doors are locked. This is used when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school.

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  Lockdown: All classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off, and students move out of sight. This is used to secure rooms and keep students safe during an immediate threat inside the school.

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  Evacuate: Students and staff move from one location to another. This is used to move people away from a potential danger, like a fire.

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  Shelter: Students and staff take cover for a specific hazard, such as a tornado or other weather event.

Download the SRP Parent Handout

Throughout the school year, students and staff will be trained on these five actions. Just as we practice fire drills to build confidence and muscle memory, schools will conduct drills for these new protocols. The goal of these drills is to ensure our students and staff are prepared to respond calmly and effectively in the event of an emergency.

We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of these drills and the need to always listen carefully to their teachers and school staff.