LCSO and LCPS to conduct training exercise in Ashburn on April 5

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Public Schools will conduct a cooperative Reunification Training Exercise on the morning of April 5, at two school campuses as part of their ongoing commitment to protect the county’s students, schools and those who work there. The participating schools are Newton-Lee Elementary School and Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn. April 5 is a student holiday, and no students will be involved in the exercise.

The reunification training exercise is the first of its kind in the Northern Virginia region and is being planned in conjunction with the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System.

The half-day training exercise simulates the aftermath of a school shooting. It encompasses the safe extraction of students from the incident location and the transport of those students to a nearby school for reunification with their parents or guardians. The training exercise is being planned by the LCSO’s School Resource Officer Unit, Criminal Investigation Division, High Threat Team, and Ashburn Station Command; LCPS Safety & Security and Transportation teams; and with LC-CFRS support.

“No school in our nation is immune from violence, and we must do everything possible to protect our children and those who work to educate and support them,” said Sheriff Mike Chapman. “The LCSO has been at the forefront of active shooter incident training, and part of that is the extraction and reunification of those impacted with their loved ones. I am proud that Loudoun is leading the way on reunification training as part of the essential partnership of law enforcement, fire and rescue, and public schools,” he added.

“We are proud for LCPS to be at the forefront of efforts such as these. We take the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously. This training is an invaluable opportunity to engage in and learn from a scenario we hope we never have to face,” said Superintendent Aaron Spence.

The training exercise, which is closed to the public and news media, will impact both Newton- Lee Elementary and Stone Bridge High Schools beginning early in the morning and concluding after noon. Principals of these and nearby schools will be advising their school communities about how the training exercise will impact access to or use of their campuses. Additional information will be shared by LCSO and LCPS prior to April 5. Role players are being provided by LCPS staff and School Security Officer personnel.

The LCSO will place variable message boards in the immediate area in advance of the training exercise to help inform residents and others. Additional messages will be issued on social media and other platforms.