By Maggie Downs
The Cincinnati Enquirer

As war in Iraq intensifies, Tristate schools have significantly stepped up security efforts.

In many districts, letters detailing security plans were sent home last week to parents. Many of those schools are telling parents to stay at home in case of an attack - the schools will take care of the kids.

One district, Deer Park Community Schools, recently stashed away enough food and water to last three days for all students and staff.

DISTRICT'S PLAN

The West Clermont Local School District safety team established the following guidelines in case of a chemical or biological emergency: Ensure your own safety first. You will not be able to help your child if you expose yourself to the chemical or biological threat. Do not come to school. Your children are "sheltered-in-place." See Page 39 of the Cincinnati Bell Directory (white pages) for information on "shelter-in-place." Do not call the school. It is likely you would reach only a voice mail message, as personnel will be attending to the needs of the students and working with authorities. Tune in to the radio or television. The media, West Clermont's Web site and hot lines will be activated for communication. You will learn from the media or from West Clermont's Web site on the place and time you can be reunited with your children. When it is safe for students to exit the building, they will be released to legal guardians only. Have a legal ID available when you arrive at the school. Source: West Clermont Local School District

"We just wanted to make sure we had a plan," said Superintendent Barbara Hammel.

West Clermont Local School District, like many others, has adopted a "shelter-in-place" procedure. That's when people move to a central interior place, building ventilation systems are turned off, doors and windows are locked and sealed, and radios, TVs and Web sites are monitored.

During that time, no student or staff member is permitted to leave the building.

That also means parents can't pick up their children.

In Dent, Springmyer Memorial Elementary School Principal Tom Melvin said his school's emergency evacuation plan is less complicated than a tornado drill.

In case of an emergency, buses will be dispatched to the school, where students and staff will be taken to a safe, confidential location. During such situations, parents are asked to not come to the school.

"If they do that, we will have a horrible logjam," Melvin said.

At some schools, the heightened security has meant canceling field trips, including Deer Park High School, where the annual senior trip to New York is off. At West Clermont, all of the district's field trips have been canceled through Friday.

Other schools' security measures include:

• At Fairfield City Schools, a letter was sent home Wednesday that provided a general response to concerns about student safety along with a tip sheet on how to discuss the war with children.

• Forest Hills School District's Superintendent Jack Patzwald mailed parents a letter last week, which identified possible responses to a crisis. Those include a building evacuation, lockdown or shelter-in-place, depending on the situation.

• Northwest Local School District informed parents that the number of entrances to the schools will now be limited, one of many crisis management procedures in place in the district.

• The superintendent of Reading Community City Schools, in a letter to parents, asked that they not call schools in event of a crisis. The school will call them. They also request that parents do not come to the school unless directed to do so by administrators.

• Kenton County Schools more frequently reviews its extensive crisis management plan, which includes a shelter-in-place component. For years, each school, and in some cases each classroom, has kept emergency tool kits. Rosters of students are close at hand so administrators can carry those with them in case of a building evacuation.

• Princeton City Schools has increased the monitoring of buildings and grounds.

• Loveland City School District officials have met with a safety committee to develop a critical incident response plan, which includes bomb threats and hostage situations.

Cindy Kranz contributed to this report.

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com