Emergency Communications

What to Do During a School Emergency

Your first instinct may be to call or go to the school. However, this can interfere with emergency response efforts. Instead, rely on district communications via text, email, and phone alerts for information and instructions.

Types of Emergencies

Severe weather can lead to early dismissal, late start, school cancellations, or shelter in place. Various emergencies, including local and national events, can impact schools. Refer to the Standard Response Protocols for detailed incident responses and school actions.

Emergency Preparedness

School officials will secure schools, protect students and staff, and communicate promptly during an emergency. You can help by being prepared:

• Provide accurate contact information to schools.
• Talk to your child about emergency procedures and reassure them you will find them afterward.
• Ensure your emergency contacts are authorized and available to pick up your children.
• Notify school officials of any dangerous or suspicious situations.
• Ensure the school has a 1-2 day supply of any necessary medication for your child.
• Teach young students family names, phone numbers, and addresses.
• Sew emergency contact information into backpacks.

Communication with Families

Avoid calling your child's mobile phone in an emergency to ensure they hear essential instructions. Students can use their phones for assistance once they are safe. Refrain from calling the school, as staff will be managing the situation. Instead, rely on district communications via phone, text, and email alerts.

Finding Your Child After an Emergency

Families will be informed through district emergency channels about when and where to reunite with their children.

Extraordinary events such as severe weather, extreme temperatures, and poor air quality, are possible. For winter weather safety tips, please access the county's resources in multiple languages through this shared drive.

Our district prioritizes informing you about any changes affecting school operations. This may include canceling classes, starting late, or closing early.

Decision Timeline:

• Night Before: In most cases, the decision to cancel or delay classes will not be made the night before.
• Morning of: Decisions will be made before 6:30 a.m. on the weather event day.

Safety Considerations:

• Schools will remain open if the majority of students can travel safely.
• Families should assess local conditions and keep children at home if travel is unsafe. The district will support this decision.

Early Closure:

• If schools need to close early, we will give families as much notice as possible.

Bus Snow Routes:

• If buses are on snow routes, refer to the snow routes schedule under transportation.

Our priority is student safety, and we aim to minimize disruptions while ensuring everyone’s well-being.

Each fall, elementary families must provide a plan for their child's care in case of an unexpected early closure. Review this plan with your child to minimize confusion. In the event of an early closure, our emergency alert system will inform families via text, phone, and email. Please ensure your family's emergency contact information is updated through the verification process each May-August in ParentVUE.

Nutrition Services:

• Closed Schools: No meals served.
• 2-Hour Delay: Modified meals served.
• 3-Hour Delay: No meals served.

Bus Transportation:

• Closed Schools: No bus service.
• 2-Hour Delay: Buses delayed by 2 hours.
• 3-Hour Delay: Buses delayed by 3 hours.

Childcare:

• Late Start: No childcare available.
• Closed Schools: Childcare closed.
• Early Closure: Childcare closes at the same time as schools.

Pre-K Program:

• Closed Schools: Pre-K closed.
• 2-Hour Delay: Pre-K delayed by 2 hours.

After-School Programs, Activities, Athletics, Meetings:

• Early Closure: All programs, activities, athletics, and meetings are canceled.

Both high schools will follow these guidelines for inclement weather:

• A Day Inclement Weather:

  • Return Day: 8-period day
  • Following Day: Regular schedule resumes

• B Day Inclement Weather:

  • Return Day: B day
  • 2nd Day Back: 8-period day
  • Following Day: Regular schedule resumes

 This approach corrects the A/B schedule promptly.