The holiday season is an exciting time in schools, filled with winter concerts, classroom celebrations, and special events that bring communities together. While these events create wonderful memories, they also bring additional safety considerations.
A little advance planning can go a long way toward ensuring that students, staff, families, and guests enjoy the festivities safely. Here are eight important areas to consider when preparing your school for holiday events.
Want a copy to share with your team? Download our one-page allergy-safe holiday gatherings checklist (PDF).
1. Parking and Traffic Management
Winter concerts and holiday parties often bring more vehicles to campus than a typical school day.
- Identify how many people could attend your event, and consider how additional traffic will affect parking availability, drop-off areas, and surrounding streets.
- Establish clear traffic patterns and directions for vehicles and pedestrians, keeping the two separate as much as possible.
- For evening events, make sure parking lots, sidewalks, and entrances are adequately lit.
2. Winter Weather Preparedness
Snow and ice can create hazardous conditions for visitors arriving at your school.
- Have a plan for clearing exterior walkways, parking lots, and entrances.
- Inside the building, promptly address wet floors and hallways caused by snow and melting ice.
- Establish weather-related cancellation or postponement guidelines in advance, including how changes will be communicated to families.
3. Visitor Management
Special events often mean welcoming visitors who aren’t part of the regular school community.
- Determine whether guests will be screened or pre-registered before attending.
- Establish appropriate sign-in procedures and visitor identification practices.
- Consider expected attendance and the amount of time required for sign in and check out. Stagger entrance times if necessary.
4. Fire and Life Safety
Decorations, temporary stages, additional seating, and electrical equipment can introduce new hazards.
- Keep hallways, stairwells, and emergency exits clear, and make sure temporary seating or displays do not obstruct egress routes.
- Avoid flammable decorations and materials.
- Inspect electrical cords and lighting, and avoid overloading circuits.
5. Food and Beverage Safety
Holiday parties often involve treats, shared food, and outside vendors.
- Plan for food allergies and dietary restrictions, and communicate expectations for food brought into the building. Our printable allergy-safe gatherings checklist can help your team get started.
- If alcohol is being considered for an adult event, establish clear guidelines and appropriate safeguards. Determine whether the event will require a liquor license.
- Confirm that the school and outside vendors have the necessary insurance coverage.
6. Safety Equipment
Having additional people on campus increases the possibility that first aid will be needed.
- Before the festivities begin, verify that AEDs, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits are accessible and ready for use.
- Train staff members in the proper use of safety equipment and what documentation is required if they are deployed.
- Confirm that fire alarms and emergency notification systems are functioning properly.
7. Communication
Make sure families, staff, and guests know where to go and what to expect.
- Provide clear signage for parking, entrances, event locations, and restrooms.
- Establish a plan for communicating schedule changes, weather cancellations, or emergencies.
- For particularly large gatherings, consider having a megaphone or public-address system available.
8. Emergency Preparedness
Review emergency procedures with staff before events begin.
- Make sure employees understand evacuation routes, their responsibilities, and how to assist students and visitors during an emergency.
- Events may include visitors who are unfamiliar with the building or the school’s regular emergency procedures. Determine how to convey instructions using clear language for those without specialized knowledge of the school.
Celebrate Safely
The best holiday celebrations are the ones everyone can enjoy safely.
By anticipating potential challenges and preparing ahead of time, schools can create a welcoming, festive environment while keeping the safety of students, staff, and visitors at the forefront.
Share it with your team: download our one-page allergy-safe holiday gatherings checklist (PDF) to print or save for your next staff meeting.