Public schools are practising lockdown procedures in preparation for next week's G-8 summit.
The procedure, similar to a fire drill, is practised twice a year in all Calgary's public schools.
It requires students to go into their classroom for a head count and lock the doors until it is deemed safe to leave the school.
Stephen Carter, a spokesman for the Calgary Board of Education, said there is an increased threat to schools with the G-8 summit on Wednesday and Thursday.
"We are talking with police to make sure we are as prepared as we can be," he said. "Basically all that means is that we've got our existing procedures as well-honed as possible."
An advisory prepared by the G-8 summit security team was sent out to parents along with a memo regarding security in schools.
Calgary police Insp. Al Redford said the vast majority of schools in Calgary will see little or no impact from G-8.
"We require prudent security measures," he said, noting both schools and businesses were free to go beyond suggested actions.
He added it's important for schools to practise safety drills at all times, not just for the G-8 summit.
Lockdowns are used in schools to account for children inside the building rather than outside.
For example, Rideau Park Elementary School in southwest Calgary went into lockdown during the Erlton condo fire.
"That lockdown was to make sure the children didn't walk into a potentially dangerous situation," said Carter. "We called all of the parents through a fan-out system and parents came to pick up their children."
The CBE has also recently asked parents to update contact information with their children's school.
Although Carter wouldn't speculate on when a lockdown would be used during G-8, he said it is important all schools be aware of the potential.
"Most schools are not going to be impacted in any way," he said. "But it would be silly of us not to be prepared for any eventuality."
Other contingency plans in public schools includes cancelling all field trips downtown and closing the CBE's administrative offices. The Calgary Catholic School District has also cancelled all field trips, both to the downtown core and to the Kananaskis area.
Spokesman Graham White said the Catholic district has prepared a lockdown procedure for its downtown office, located on the periphery of downtown near Shaw Millennium Park. All district employees will also be required to wear photo ID at all times.
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