The Advisory Commission on Technology (ACT) is urging schools to treat active shooter drills as more than a routine emergency exercise—emphasizing that parents should be actively involved before and during the drills to better protect students. In a discussion on #AtTheForefront, ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo highlighted the need to prepare families in advance, arguing that effective safety planning includes not only teachers and administrators but also the people who know students best at home.
According to Bernardo, parents should first be informed about their child’s mental and physical readiness. She stressed that schools should not approach drills as a purely procedural activity. Instead, parents should understand what their children may experience during drills and how students might react—especially when drills involve fear, confusion, or stress-inducing scenarios. The goal, she said, is to ensure that families are prepared to support students before the drill begins and to help them cope afterward if they feel anxious or distressed.
Bernardo’s remarks reflect a broader view of school safety measures as a collaborative effort rather than an isolated school-only responsibility. When parents are included, schools can gain insight into each student’s circumstances, including factors that may affect how a child responds to emergency instructions. This can include mental well-being, comfort level with stressful situations, and the child’s physical needs—elements that may be overlooked if drills are planned without coordination from home.
In her discussion, the ACT chairperson emphasized that parental involvement should occur at key points: before drills are conducted and potentially during the process, depending on the school’s approach. This means schools should communicate expectations clearly to parents and provide guidance on how to talk to their children about emergencies in a way that reduces panic. It also suggests that parent participation can improve trust between families and schools, leading to more effective communication during actual emergencies.
The proposal is rooted in the idea that student safety is strengthened when parents are not left out of emergency preparedness. When parents have relevant information, they are more likely to reinforce safety instructions appropriately at home and to recognize warning signs if a child becomes overwhelmed. Bernardo’s stance also underscores that drills can be impactful experiences for students, not merely rehearsal events, especially for children and teenagers who may not fully understand the difference between a drill and a real threat.
While school drills are designed to familiarize students with emergency procedures—such as how to respond when an active shooter situation is simulated—Bernardo’s focus is on ensuring that drills do not ignore students’ emotional needs. By involving parents, schools may be better able to tailor support strategies to individual students. This can make it easier for students to follow instructions during drills while also helping them recover afterward.
The call for parental involvement also highlights accountability and communication. Schools can establish clearer protocols for how they will share information with families, how they will address concerns, and how they will support students who may require additional guidance. Parent engagement, in this view, becomes an essential part of preparing students for potential emergencies—because students do not experience stress in isolation. Emotional reactions may be influenced by conversations at home, previous experiences, and a child’s baseline mental and physical condition.
Bernardo’s remarks on #AtTheForefront therefore position active shooter drills as a shared responsibility among schools and families. Rather than treating the exercise as a one-time event managed entirely within the school grounds, the ACT chairperson argues for a more holistic preparedness approach. Involving parents before or during drills can help ensure that students are better supported, calmer, and more capable of following safety procedures.
Overall, the message from ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo is clear: school safety protocols should integrate parents into the preparedness process so that students are physically and mentally ready, and families are equipped to help students understand and cope with the realities of emergency drills. Source: #AtTheForefront.
Bilyonaryo News Channel: PARENTS SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN SCHOOL ACTIVE SHOOTING DRILLS. Speaking on #AtTheForefront, ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo emphasized the importance of involving parents before or during active shooter drills, noting that parents should first know their child’s mental and physical. #breaking
— @bncdotph May 1, 2026