To ensure a safe and prepared school environment, Jeffco Public Schools has implemented best-practice training programs for both staff and students in crisis prevention and emergency response/management. These programs include the Standard Response Protocol, regularly scheduled drills to build confidence and reinforce safety protocols, and the establishment of School Response Teams (SRT).
Through realistic exercises and specialized training partnerships—such as those with the Frank DeAngelis Training Center—Jeffco equips its school community and local law enforcement agencies with the knowledge and practical skills needed to respond effectively to school-based emergencies. This layered approach reflects the district’s commitment to creating safe, supportive learning environments through preparation, collaboration, and ongoing education.
Emergency Plan
Jeffco’s Emergency Plan covers all five phases of preparedness (Response, Recovery, Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness) for both educational sites and school support sites. The plan is reviewed and revised as needed. Changes and revisions are made based on best practice and/or shifts in protocols for school environments.
Training and Exercises
Jeffco prepares staff, students, district employees and community partners for emergencies in four ways: mandatory training, emergency training, drills and exercises.
Emergency Trainings
Our emergency training follows national best practices and prepares students and staff to respond effectively in a crisis. Participants learn the nature of common emergencies, practice life-safety skills to respond and survive, discuss contingencies, and—when appropriate—walk through response actions. Each summer, all school-based administrators, community superintendents, secretaries, facility managers/staff, and paraprofessionals complete mandatory safety training.
Emergency Drills
Regular drills practice the life-safety skills taught in emergency training and build positive “muscle memory” in a safe, controlled environment—without real-world stressors (e.g., sights/sounds of an emergency or limited resources). Per Colorado Senate Bill 08-181, every school conducts one lockdown drill in the fall and one additional drill (e.g., evacuation or shelter) in the spring.
Emergency Exercises
We use replicated, simulated emergencies—both tabletop and full-scale exercises—to test employees’ skills, knowledge and teamwork. In tabletop exercises, emergency teams meet to work through a realistic scenario, discuss how they would protect, respond, and recover, and review prevention and mitigation tactics.
For example, Jeffco’s Department of School Safety runs a week-long academy for all school administrators, guiding them through tabletop scenarios based on real incidents from the prior school year.
Full-scale exercises—typically held every two years—simulate real conditions so participants can apply their skills under realistic stress. For safety, these exercises are closed to the public, and all participants receive a clear briefing on scope and parameters. We conduct full-scale exercises on non-school days, and students participate only with prior written parental permission.
Jeffco’s former Martensen Elementary School in Wheat Ridge is home to the Frank DeAngelis Training Center for School and Community Safety. This one-of-a-kind facility trains law enforcement, school security, and many other agencies including the FBI and Navy Seals, on how to respond to school safety incidents.
Through the district’s collaborative partnership with the DeAngelis Center, our internal R1 Patrol and security teams have priority access to the facility where Jeffco administrators, campus security and others gain the skills to support school safety. The R1 patrol division participates in 25-30 training sessions per year. Every law enforcement agency in Jeffco (Lakewood, Golden, Westminster, Jeffco Sheriff, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, and Arvada) takes part in utilizing the center for ongoing school safety training throughout the year.
