Oxford School District Conducts Full-Scale Emergency Response Exercise, January 23, 2026. Photograph by Josh McCoy.
While Ice Storm Fern delayed Oxford School District‘s ability to promptly share details with the community, OSD believes the information and lessons gained from this emergency response exercise are too important not to provide to local families.
On January 23, 2026, the Oxford School District conducted a full-scale, multi-agency emergency response exercise in coordination with local law enforcement and emergency personnel. The simulated exercise took place at the Athletic Performance Center on the Oxford Middle School campus.
This exercise was the result of months of detailed planning and preparation involving the Oxford School District Emergency Response Team, local emergency and law enforcement agencies, School Resource Officers, parent volunteers, and student teachers from the University of Mississippi. Oxford School District students were not involved in the full exercise so as to not cause a major disruption to the learning environment that day.
The purpose of this full-scale simulation was to evaluate and strengthen the district’s emergency response procedures by working alongside local officials to identify and address any potential gaps in planning. The exercise allowed the district to fully implement its lockdown protocols, including parent communication systems, the transportation of students from one campus to an off-campus reunification site, and the reunification process between parents and students.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that every school in our district is prepared for any situation,” said the Oxford School District Chief of Staff, who serves as the district’s head of safety and crisis response. “Exercises like this allow us to test our systems in real time, strengthen coordination with our first responders, and continuously improve our response plans to keep students and staff safe.”
Superintendent Bradley Roberson emphasized the importance of proactive preparation.
“While we hope we never have to activate our emergency response plan in a real-world situation, preparation is essential,” said Roberston. “This drill demonstrates our commitment to student safety and the strength of our partnership with the Oxford Police Department and other local agencies.”
Oxford School District extends its sincere appreciation to Chief Joey Gardner and the Oxford Fire Department, Oxford Emergency Management Director Shane Fortner, and Chief Jeff McCutchen and the Oxford Police Department for their partnership throughout this process. The district is grateful for the strong collaboration with community agencies that help make exercises like this possible.
The safety of our students and staff remains the highest priority for the Oxford School District. While we are confident in our emergency response plan and our partnership with local emergency management officials, maintaining a safe school environment requires the continued support of our entire community. The district will continue to conduct safety training and emergency preparedness exercises and will use feedback from this drill to strengthen procedures and communication.
If a parent, student, or community member has any safety concerns, it is critically important that they report them immediately to school officials.
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