WOOD RIVER, IL — East Alton-Wood River Community High School District #14 (EAWR) held a comprehensive Reunification Training today at Julia’s in East Alton, providing faculty, staff, and local first responders with critical practice in safely and efficiently reuniting students with their parents during a school crisis.
The training followed the nationally recognized Standard Reunification Method (SRM), developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation, which gives schools a predictable, accountable framework for managing controlled student release when normal dismissal is disrupted by an emergency.
During the session, EAWR participants:
Reviewed the seven-step reunification process, from parent check-in to student release.
Walked through roles and responsibilities for staff, law enforcement, fire, and EMS.
Participated in a simulated drill, practicing real-world reunification procedures.
Engaged in a Q&A debrief to discuss lessons learned and refine district protocols.
Principal Leigh Robinson, emphasized that the training is about more than compliance: “This process ensures that in the event of a crisis, every student is accounted for, every parent is connected with their child safely, and our community can trust the system we’ve built.”
In addition to reunification practice, staff also received updates on EAWR’s new security enhancements, including expanded camera coverage and the upcoming deployment of OmniAlert, an AI-assisted communication and weapons detection system designed to provide faster, more effective emergency alerts.
Today’s training is part of EAWR’s ongoing commitment to student safety, staff readiness, and strong collaboration with local first responders.
