Throughout the school year, ACPS has participated in a multi-organizational training project with our partners in the Albemarle County Police Department and Albemarle County Fire Rescue. Together, we are collaborating to review and test the policies, knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to respond to an active threat at a public school. We have conducted seminars, workshops, and a tabletop exercise. This work will culminate in a full-scale, in-person drill this summer on Friday, July 14. The purpose of this drill is to provide a safe environment for public safety and school personnel to practice plans and procedures in response to a simulated active threat incident.

We are seeking about 80 volunteers to role-play as teachers and students during the July 14 drill. If interested, please submit this Google Form by Friday, June 23. This is available to staff only; do not forward or share this link.

We are eager to get as many volunteers as possible to make the drill more realistic, but before signing up, please consider the following:

• You will be asked to perform the actions a teacher or student would take during an actual event (barricading a classroom, evacuating, etc.).
• It will be realistic. There will be simulated gunfire, moulage (mock injuries/blood), uniformed officers, etc. This may be traumatic for some participants, so please consider how you may react prior to volunteering.
• The event will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you will need to commit for the whole day. Several drill iterations will be conducted throughout the day. Lunch will be provided for all participants.
• This is a non-mandatory, volunteer opportunity.
• No photography or video is allowed during the event.

This exercise will inform and enhance our emergency response as a division, so we appreciate your support in this endeavor. By participating, I hope you will feel more prepared and empowered as an individual as well.

If you have any questions, please email Rosalyn Schmitt.