Inclement Weather
Emergency School Closure
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
Emergency school closure occurs when unforeseen circumstances such as broken water pipes, flooding, loss of power,severe weather, etc., warrant closure to be initiated during non-school hours. The decision to close the school is made through input from the administrators, our superintendent, and the Commander. An announcement of the closure will be broadcast on TV and/or radio, DNS, and through the base command units.
The DoDEA Notification System (DNS) allows for each school to contact all of their parents and/or staff with one phone message through an automatic dialing system. At the District level it allows a message to be sent to all parents and/or staff in the same method. This allows greater security and sharing of information with parents and staff. There is a Point of Contact (POC) at each location that has the necessary codes to access the system.
There are situations in which school may be canceled during school hours. Once again, this decision is made by the individuals stated above. Once the decision has been made to release students, staff members will alert all classrooms.Students who ride the bus will be released to board the bus at a set time. For those students who walk, ride a bike, or are picked up, they may be released once their parent/guardian has been contacted and agree with that process. If we are unable to reach a student's parent/guardian by the time teachers are released, the teacher will bring them to the office and the office staff will assist in contacting the parent. For these emergencies STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO LEAVE SCHOOL GROUNDS WITHOUT THEIR PARENT/GUARDIAN BEING NOTIFIED. As stated before,please ensure all contact numbers are updated at all times with both your child's teacher and the school office.
Related regulations
School Closure
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
When hurricanes, snow or other severe weather conditions occur, it is sometimes necessary to cancel school, delay the opening of school, or dismiss classes early.
Before the School Day Begins
If it becomes necessary to cancel school due to inclement weather parents will be notified through our AdHoc system as well as listen to local radio or TV stations in the morning for information about school cancellation for the day.
After the School Day Has Begun
Once the school day has begun, every effort will be made to keep school in session for the entire day. Many of our children have two working parents, and we understand the problems that early dismissal might cause.
The decision to close school during the day is announced as soon as possible through our AdHoc system as well as on local radio and TV. It is important for parents to stay tuned to a local station if they suspect possible school closings.
Under the best conditions, it takes approximately two hours from the time an early dismissal decision is made until the last bus leaves a school. Children who ride a bus home from school, can expect to start arriving home any time from thirty minutes to over two hours after the dismissal decision is made. It is important for parents to discuss the possibility of an early closing due to inclement weather with their children. Establishing a plan for such occasions will help to eliminate confusion and worry for the child and will provide assurance for the parent and the school that the child is safe and secure.
The contact information on record with the school will be used for notifications. Please inform the school whenever your contact information changes.
Note: Your child's school may also notify you of important announcements using the AdHoc notification system.
