School boards in the GTA want to use more terms than "lockdown" to describe probelms that arise. (CBC)

Schools across the Greater Toronto Area are moving away from using the prison-based term "lockdown" to describe some less dangerous security situations.

Until recently, the word was used to describe almost any situation, but now school boards say they're expanding their terminology to describe different situations better.

Board officials are worried that "lockdown" is used so often it is losing its meaning.

In the 2007-2008 school year, there were 101 recorded lockdowns in the schools served by the Toronto District School Board alone.

Only five of those lockdowns, according to the TDSB, carried an immediate danger to students and school staff.

Colin Fleming, the TDSB safe schools administrator, says from now on "lockdown" will only apply to the most serious situations — for example, when a person is trying to hurt students and staff in a school building or on school property.

"Lockdown is a term to be used for absolute worst-case scenarios, where there is someone, or in rare circumstances, something, on school property or in the school, bent on hurting people, or worse," he said.

In other cases, school officials will use the terms "shelter in place" and "hold and secure" for less serious incidents where the students are not in any immediate danger.

"Using the term 'lockdown' ... had the risk of desensitizing students and staff members, as well as the community, to what actually happens in a true lockdown situation," said Fleming.

Schools will use the other terms when describing health and safety issues or a fire or chemical spill near a school.

The TDSB says police across Ontario will recommend all schools in the province use the new terms from now on.