SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

We have reached that time of the year when schools may be cancelled due to inclement weather and dangerous road conditions and we feel it is important to ensure that you are aware of the process and procedures for canceling school.

The decision to cancel school is arrived at through a consultative process involving a number of individuals located in different geographic areas of our school district. Factors considered include: weather and road conditions, weather forecasts, and above all, the safety of children while walking to school, waiting for the bus, or traveling on the bus. Weather conditions can be different in the various areas of our district and can change greatly within a few hours. This increases the difficulty in making the best decision for our students. The decision to close school is rarely received favorably by all; however, such a decision will always be made keeping in mind the safety of our students.

Early Morning Cancellation

The decision to cancel school will normally be made by 6:30a.m. The following radio stations are immediately notified of cancellations: CKBW (98.1FM in Lunenburg county, 94.5FM in Queens county) Sun FM (96.5FM), CIOO (100.1FM), Q104 (104.1 FM), CJCH (920AM) KIXX Country (780AM), CHNS (960AM), CHFX (104.9FM) and CBC Radio One (905FM, 97.1FM, 102.7FM, or 106.5FM) ATV’s Breakfast Television is also notified.

Late Morning Cancellation

It may be necessary to close schools during the day in order to ensure students are home before weather conditions become severe. In such cases, the provincial road report is carefully monitored, as well as Environment Canada’s Weather Service. When a decision is made to close schools early, announcements will be made on all the radio stations listed above. Furthermore, our Elementary Schools have organized telephone trees to contact homes or designated alternates. Please make sure your child knows what arrangements you have made for her/him if school is cancelled early.

EMERGENCY DISMISSAL

This is hurricane season and the possibility exists that a very windy day could knock down power lines to the school.  Therefore, in preparation for an emergency dismissal we are asking for your support in completing the following.  Please review a plan with your child in the event of an emergency dismissal from school. Classroom teachers set up an emergency phone tree with 3 or 4 parent volunteers from their class. Your phone number is given to these parents and will only be used in an emergency situation (emergency early dismissal due to a severe storm, unexpected power outage, etc.). We have the following dismissal procedures in place:

1.     The school notifies Scotia Business Center

2.     Scotia Business Center phones the main contact person for each class

3.     The classroom contact person calls the 3 or 4 parent volunteers for that class, who then call your home and/or emergency number.

To minimize your concerns and that of your child, you are requested to discuss a plan of action with your child, in case of an emergency dismissal.  This plan should be reviewed monthly to remind your child what is expected.  It should include:

1.          Provide the teacher with your current address and phone numbers, (home and work) and advise us immediately of any changes throughout the year, please!

2.          Provide the teacher with the names and phone numbers of several emergency care takers, i.e. relatives, friends, neighbors, and indicate if they are authorized to pick up your child from school.  We require this info by Fri, Sept. 15 (on the Student Data Form).

3.          Arrange to have a place for your child to go if they arrive home and you are not there.  This is very important and should be reviewed frequently, especially with younger children.

4.          Advise the classroom teacher of changes in any of the above - preferably before a storm day!

5.             A mid day cancellation is the most hectic event in our year.  There are very heavy demands on our phones and staff during these situations.  A well thought out plan in advance for each student, is sincerely appreciated, because even these plans may need last minute changes.

Late Bus Runs

There will be times when school buses are running late. When this is the case, an announcement will be aired on CKBW and CBC Radio One that a bus has been delayed by a specified period of time. For example, if a bus is delayed by thirty minutes, students are expected to meet the bus thirty minutes later than they would normally.

Suggestions for Parents

  1. Please listen to one of the radio stations listed between 6:30am and 8:30am if there is any doubt that schools will open.
  2. Please do not call the School Board office or radio stations, as too many calls jam the telephone lines that are needed for emergency use.
  3. Please do not drop your child off at school unless you are certain that school is operating that day.
  4. Please make alternate arrangements for your children in the event of mid-day school closures. Please ensure that your child is aware of these arrangements. You may also wish to share this information with your child’s homeroom teacher.
  5. Parents of children in Grade Primary to Three are asked, please, to provide their child’s homeroom teacher with written instructions as to where their child should go if parents and the emergency contact cannot be reached by the telephone tree.
  6. In the South Queens area, Elementary school students will be dismissed before the Junior and Senior high school students.

As noted earlier, the most important consideration in determining the operation or closure of schools is the safety of our students. When conditions are questionable and schools are open, the final decision to have your child attend school remains with you, the student’s parent or guardian.

Thank you.

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