EBCD – EMERGENCY CLOSINGS

The Superintendent may close the district schools or dismiss them early when hazardous weather or other emergencies threaten the health or safety of students and personnel. The Superintendent may delegate this authority to another staff member in the event of his/her absence.

Schools will not be closed merely to avoid inconvenience. However, the Superintendent may excuse all students from attending school, delay the opening hour, or dismiss students early. The Superintendent also has the responsibility to see that administrative, supervisory, and operational activity is continued to the extent possible. Therefore, if conditions affect only a single school, only that school will be closed.

In making the decision to close schools, the Superintendent will consider many factors, including the following principal ones that relate to the safety and health of children:

  1. Weather conditions, both existing and predicted.

  2. Driving, traffic and parking conditions affecting public and private transportation facilities.

  3. Actual occurrence or imminent possibility of any emergency condition that would make the operation of schools difficult or dangerous.

  4. Inability of teaching personnel to report for duty, which might result in inadequate supervision of students.

The Superintendent will weigh these factors and take action to close the schools only after consultation with traffic and weather authorities, and local principals.

Students, parents and staff will be informed early in each school year of the procedures that will be used to notify them in case of emergency closing. When schools are closed for emergency reasons, staff members will comply with Board policy in reporting for work.

If school is in operation and the buses do not operate in the rural area, teachers and administrators should realize that rural students are absent, not because of their choosing, and school work and related activities should be governed by this knowledge. If there are any concerns about this, teachers should consult with their building principals.

Postponements

Should inclement weather prohibit the operation of the Public Schools for any portion of a school day, all co-curricular activities will be cancelled with the exception of district or state contests (activities). In such situations, the officials responsible for such contests (activities) will decide if the contest (activity) is to take place and participation by students will be based on their decision. In such cases, the school principal will announce whether or not the contest (activity) will take place.

When the school has been closed due to the expectation of inclement weather, and the situation does not result in potentially dangerous travel conditions, the Superintendent or his designee, after consultation with school principals, will have the authority to waive the cancellation of co-curricular activities as described in the above paragraph.