Emergency Information

In the event of inclement weather or an emergency situation, the Puyallup School District (PSD) takes every precaution to ensure the safety of students. District staff works continually with local police, sheriff, fire, and emergency management teams to improve and fine-tune district emergency plans.  

Due to situations beyond our control, sometimes there is a need to close schools or modify their start times. The reasons for this are varied, but will most likely be due to ice, snow or power outages (due to downed power lines or utility brown-out for a given area).  Closures typically involve the whole school district. However, occasionally there is a need to close down an individual school due to an isolated problem.

In the event school operations are impacted due to an emergency or inclement weather, PSD will use multiple ways to communicate with families and the public.

• ParentSquare: Parents will receive a text, email, and phone call through ParentSquare.  This parent notification system will rapidly alert families in their preferred home language.
• Social Media: For school delays and closures, we will post information on Facebook and Instagram.
• Website: In the event of a school delay or closure, website alerts will be published on school district and school-specific homepages.
• News Media: Delay and closure information is sent to TV and radio stations, to be included in their announcing of school delays and closures. You can also find that information on FlashAlert.

Please do not call the school, transportation department, or district office. If the phone lines are working, they will be used for emergency communication purposes.

The district has a centralized Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and each school site has a building EOC.

EOC teams are responsible for developing plans and conducting drills related to a variety of potential scenarios, including, but not limited to:

• Fire
• Earthquakes
• Sheltering-In-Place
• Intruders
• Lahar (for our Valley schools)

As part of these emergency plans, trained staff members in our schools are able to respond to emergencies. Depending on the type of emergency, decisions affecting school operations will be made by district officials in collaboration with district administration, and the Pierce County Sheriff and Puyallup Police Department, as needed.

In the event of a school emergency, the district has Incident Command teams trained at the district-level and within each school, offering a standardized approach in coordinating emergency response efforts. Incident Command teams have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority to ensure a swift, organized, and effective response to an emergency situation.

• Be Prepared for a School Emergency - Emergencies can happen without warning, so it is important for families to be informed and ready.
   
  • Ensure that your child's emergency contact information is accurate and current.
  • Become familiar with your school's emergency communications procedures.  The district is committed to providing accurate and timely information in the event of an emergency.
     
• In Case of a School Emergency - Although your first reaction may be to call or rush to your child's school, please follow the tips below. 
   
  • Do not call your child's school. Phone lines and staff may be needed for emergency response efforts.
  • Do not go to your child's school unless directed. Additional traffic can impede first responders and put others in danger. Additionally, if reunification efforts are needed, they may occur at an offsite location.

The Puyallup School District phone number is 253-841-1301.