Response to Findings*

R1

Those districts which have yet to identify disaster grant opportunities, especially from governmental agencies, investigate the availability of potential resources. Forming inter-district collaboratives, learning from districts in the county that have been successful, pooling resources, and asking for consultation from the Orange County Superintendent of Schools/OCDE may help in these efforts. This recommendation has been implemented. IUSD received a federal REMS grant in 2007. The district schools received supplies and training through this grant. We have been informed that we do not qualify to reapply under the new guidelines. However, IUSD will continue to work with OCDE to investigate other potential resources. IUSD has also been involved with OCDE, Tustin, Santa Ana, and Garden Grove school districts in a collaborative effort to improve emergency communication through a radio network. We will continue to work in this OCERS (Orange County Emergency Radio System) cooperative, pooling our resources to increase our ability to communicate in the event of an emergency.

R2

Districts review their plans, and the plans specific to each of their campuses, with respect to emergencies or possible disaster situations they have not anticipated. This recommendation has been implemented. IUSD has involved all schools in additional lockdown training in conjunction with the Irvine Police Department over the past two years. Schools have been encouraged to practice tabletop drills with their leadership teams regarding various emergency scenarios. In the fall of each new school year, schools are required to revise and update their School Safety Plans, which include multiple emergency responses. These plans are then reviewed by district office personnel. This practice will continue this fall and in subsequent years.

R3

Districts review their level of compliance with various existing codes, regulations, and liability insurance issues that pertain to emergency preparedness in public schools. This recommendation has been implemented. IUSD has made it a practice to review their level of compliance with existing codes, regulations and liability insurance issues on a yearly basis. This practice will continue in conjunction with OCDE, Keenan and Associates (Insurance Carrier), OCERS (Orange County Emergency Radio System), and another of our district collaborative groups, EPIC (Emergency Preparedness Interagency Committee).

R4

Districts review their plans, and the plans specific to each of their campuses, to ascertain whether the special medical and/or prescription medication needs of all students are adequately anticipated, especially during an extended disaster situation. This recommendation has not yet been implemented, but is in the process of being implemented in the current 2011/12 school year. Each school site will be asked to include steps in their Safe School Emergency Plans to meet the special needs of their students with regard to medical and/or prescription medication during extended emergency situations beginning with the 2011-12 school year. District personnel will check plans for inclusion upon submission in the fall.

R5

Districts survey their campuses with respect to the needs of non- or limited English-speaking parents and guardians, and develop outlines or summaries of critical emergency planning information in Spanish, Vietnamese, and other threshold languages prevalent in their local communities. This recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future. IUSD will coordinate the efforts of Language Minority Programs staff and school sites in developing outlines or summaries of emergency planning information in key languages (Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, Farsi, and Arabic) to facilitate communication with our community members. Effective home/school communication documents will be created and translated during the 2011-2012 school year, and will be made available to each site by the beginning of the 2012-13 school year. Sincerely, Sute / wan Keith Tuominen, Ed.D. Director of Secondary Education c: Terry Walker, Superintendent Cassie Parham, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Lisa Howell, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services • . .