Procedures For Severe Weather During After School Pick Up
When there is severe weather (lighting, damaging hail or winds), all students will remain in their classrooms until the storm has passed, sheltering in place.
If this occurs during or close to pick up time, the school will send out a message via email/phone/text, notifying families that there is a potential that we will be under a Severe Weather Plan during pick up time. Our school is equipped with a weather alert machine, so we receive alerts being sent by the weather authorities.
If the weather is still not safe at pick up, students will remain in their classrooms until the decision has been made that it is safe to resume normal pick up procedures outside. This may mean that your child is asked to stay in his/her classroom beyond normal pick up time. Ideally, families will remain in the pick-up line or parking spots until the children are dismissed. If you feel that it is important (and safe enough) to come get your child right away, you may come to their classroom/building to get them – if you are not blocking traffic. We will have someone at the door of the primary and upper school buildings to assist you. Families in ECE may go directly to the classroom’s door.
If severe weather occurs unexpectedly when pick up has already begun, we will refer to the above plan and have all children and teachers go back to their classrooms. If your child has permission to leave campus on their own or meet you somewhere other than the pick-up line, please make a plan with your child so they know how to stay safe. Since they may already be dismissed by us, we will not know their whereabouts. Of course, they are welcome to take shelter in the main office.
Weather events may affect phone lines, or calls coming into the school may tie up phone lines. If you aren’t able to reach the school by phone during a weather event, please be patient.
We also understand storms may also impact the ability of drivers to arrive on time for student pick-up. In those instances, we will always hold any students not picked up (who are normally picked up by a driver, vs those who walk home) in the office until their ride arrives.
We will send a follow up message when the weather has passed and we are resuming normal dismissal.
