This Week’s SafeSchools Minute

Maintaining Silence During a Lockdown

Part of the Guided Weekly School Safety Program

How to Use This Week’s Reminder

Share this week's SafeSchools Minute with your staff through your school's usual communication channels.

Use the Ready-to-Send Email below to quickly copy and paste a message into your email, then attach the Reminder PDF before sending.

Each reminder takes about one minute to read and reinforces an important everyday school safety habit.

Included with this Reminder

📄Download Reminder PDF

  • Subject: This Week’s Safety Reminder: Maintaining Silence During a Lockdown

    Staff,

    This week’s SafeSchools Minute™ focuses on Maintaining Silence During a Lockdown.

    During a lockdown, keeping the room quiet can help conceal occupancy and allow staff to hear important announcements, emergency responders, or activity outside the room.

    Silence involves more than voices. Phones, smartwatches, tablets, classroom technology, radios, timers, and other devices can also create unexpected noise.

    This week, take a moment to identify potential sources of sound in your classroom or work area and consider how you would quickly silence them if a lockdown occurred.

    Please take one minute to review the attached reminder.

    A quiet room begins with preparation before the lockdown starts.

    Thank you for helping us maintain calm, quiet, and consistent lockdown procedures.

  • During a lockdown, silence is an important part of maintaining a secure environment.

    Noise can reveal that a room is occupied and can make it more difficult for staff to hear announcements, emergency responders, or activity outside the room.

    Maintaining silence means more than keeping voices low. Phones, smartwatches, tablets, classroom technology, radios, alarms, and other devices can also create unexpected noise.

    Staff should know how to quickly quiet the room, silence devices when appropriate, and help students remain calm without creating unnecessary movement or sound.

    Silence during a lockdown supports both concealment and awareness.

  • What sources of unexpected noise could occur in your classroom during a lockdown?

    Suggested response:

    Consider:

    • Cell phones and notification sounds
    • Smartwatches
    • Tablets and computers
    • Classroom speakers or televisions
    • Radios
    • Timers and alarms
    • Student conversations
    • Chairs, desks, or other classroom movement

    Staff should know how to reduce these sources of noise quickly when the lockdown procedure begins.

  • Pay particular attention to:

    • Devices that automatically make sounds or announcements
    • Staff or student phones that may not be silenced
    • Classroom technology that continues playing audio
    • Radios or communication devices set too loudly
    • Furniture arrangements that could create unnecessary noise when students move
    • Students who may need additional support remaining quiet
    • Staff who are unsure how to quickly silence classroom equipment

    Preparing for these small details ahead of time can reduce unnecessary noise during an actual lockdown.

  • Take one minute this week to identify potential sources of noise in your classroom or work area.

    Ask yourself:

    • What devices could make an unexpected sound?
    • Could I silence them quickly?
    • How would I quietly communicate with students?
    • Is there anything in the room that would create unnecessary noise when students move into position?
    • Are there students who may need additional support during a lockdown?

    Make any simple adjustments now rather than discovering the problem during an emergency.

    A quiet room begins with preparation before the lockdown starts.

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