The Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees approved Comprehensive School Site Safety Plans and a District Crisis and Emergency Response Plan at the Sept. 14 regular meeting.

Director of Pupil Services Larry Mendonca reported to the board that the district has had safety and emergency plans in the past, but each school site had its own protocols. Now, the protocols are consistent district-wide with specifics to each site. Mendonca called the plans “comprehensive” and referred to them as “living documents” in that they would be reviewed and updated every year.

In preparing the plans, the district consulted with D-Prep, a company that specializes in disaster preparedness. The company president and another representative each spoke to the trustees about how the plans were prepared and how the project started a year ago.

Mendonca said he also met with local emergency service agencies and the OJUSD plans were met with approval. He added that he was “really confident” that the district now has a very good safety and emergency response plan in place.

School district personnel have gone through some training, and more specific trainings are forthcoming as it relates to the plans.

Trustee Mike Tozzi asked a number of questions and presented emergency scenarios to Mendonca who explained the first steps that take place and added that all of the procedures and protocols are in the plan binders at each site and the district office. Questions about practice drills were also answered by the D-Prep representatives. The trustees commented on the amount of time and work that went into preparing the detailed plans. Trustee Bill Dyer commented that he hoped the district never had to use them.

The next regular meeting of the OJUSD Board of Trustees will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12 at Oakdale City Council Chambers, 277 No. Second.