EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSINGS There are literally a ton of variables and moving parts that go into making a decision to cancel school for a full or partial day due to weather conditions. We will always take your child’s safety into consideration before anything else. In so doing, making thoughtful and timely decisions are paramount. Understanding clearly that it takes a lot for parents and guardians to arrange for child care and the many other considerations involved in such a cancelation, we certainly appreciate your patience as we too work through each decision. The purpose of this press release is to provide you some clarity regarding the process the School District of Tomahawk will inevitably use in such circumstances. What are the criteria for cancelling school and school related events? According to School Board Policy #423.3 Safety Program – Emergency School Closings “The District Administrator shall have the authority to close the district schools or delay the opening of school in the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies that threaten the health or safety of students and staff. School closings may be done at any time during the day. When determining whether to close schools, the District Administrator shall consult with the bus contractors and the Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds. The highway department, law enforcement agencies and other appropriate agencies may be contacted. In cases of severe cold, school generally shall not be held when the temperature is minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit or when there is a wind chill index of minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit at the WJJQ AM-FM radio station studios. The staff and public shall be notified through the local radio station.” Additionally, the District will utilize email and sky alert messages. When will the decision to cancel school or school related activities occur? School administration will make every reasonable effort to make timely decisions in regards to cancelations, but ultimately weather conditions may deteriorate rapidly without warning thereby expediting an otherwise thoughtful process. Decision to cancel school or operate under a late start due to snow, freezing rain, or otherwise hazardous weather conditions will generally happen prior to 6:00 a.m. the day of school. We understand that this may be challenging for some families; however, weather conditions are not always predictable. Early releases will be decided no later than 12:00 p.m. and parent notification will occur shortly after the decision is made. We will take every precaution to make the best decision we can with the information that is available to us. At times this may include keeping students at school instead of issuing an early release for the purpose of allowing road crews time to clear roads. I hope you find this correspondence helpful. If you have any questions, please contact Sherry Baker, Superintendent, at (715) 453-5555.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 22:58:28 +0000
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