Ever wonder why we close, delay, or dismiss early? Or better yet, why we sometimes DON’T do any of those things? Here is a bit of insight on the intricate steps involved in making the crucial decision to delay or close our schools, emphasizing the paramount importance of prioritizing the safety of students and staff. The Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, the Supervisor of Transportation, and Superintendent, start communicating with neighboring districts days in advance. Early on the day in question, around 4:30 a.m., personnel ride the roads, assessing conditions in various areas. A decision for delay or closure must be made by 5:30 a.m. due to county-wide programs and bus contractor locations. This also allows us to communicate with families as early as possible so they can make arrangements as needed.
Factors influencing the decision include both current road conditions and forecasted weather. With nearly 500 students walking to school, ensuring safe access to sidewalks from their homes is a priority. Additionally, staff members must be able to safely park and walk into buildings from the parking lot. Please remember, while it may look one way out your window, our staff has done a comprehensive assessment of the conditions and made a recommendation to keep everyone safe.
Now, what happens when we are already at school when this weather strikes? Many people think it is as easy as calling the buses in early in order to get the kids home before scheduled time. We wish! Just like delays and closings, early dismissals have quite literally, a lot of moving parts. Per the state guidelines, once students are in school, they must be offered lunch. Once students are fed, we can begin our first of three dismissal waves. Most of our busses run routes for schools in all three groups. Dismissing our students (Pre-K through 12thgrade) takes 2.5 hours to complete all three waves. To drop off a Pre-K, Kindergarten, or Special Programs student, there must be an adult home to receive the student. Most families plan for this to be at their normal time, so when that changes, they may be at work and unable to be home to receive their student. That student may not get off the bus and must be brought back to the school building and wait for a parent to come pick them up. This impacts the bus completing their route and going to pick up the next wave of students.
At any point, if you have a personal concern with your ability to get your child to or from school safely, please contact the school. The commitment to the safety of students and staff remains the guiding principle, ensuring that decisions made in challenging weather conditions prioritize the well-being of the entire school community.