Code: EBCD-AR
Adopted: 11/14/05
Readopted: 11/13/06
Orig. Code(s): 360
Emergency Closures
When hazardous weather or emergency conditions exist or are reliably predicted, the superintendent or his designee shall make the decision to close a school or schools after considering the following factors:
1. Weather conditions, both existing and predicted.
2. Driving, traffic, and parking conditions affecting private transportation.
3. Inability of school staff to report for duty which might result in inadequate supervision of students.
4. Actual occurrence or imminent possibility of emergency conditions, and the predicted duration of the dangerous or emergency conditions.
5. Seriousness of the hazardous or emergency conditions as judged by the local traffic, safety, weather, and school authorities.
Specific procedures for school closure due to hazardous weather or traffic conditions are as follows:
1. The district Transportation Supervisor shall determine if hazardous weather or traffic conditions exist after conducting a driving test on roads and consulting with local traffic authorities prior to 7:00 a.m. on affected days. The following recommended sequence can be used:
a. Transportation supervisor drives outlying roads.
b. Transportation supervisor calls the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office.
c. Transportation supervisor calls Warm Springs Police Department.
d. Transportation supervisor calls Warm Springs Road Department.
e. Transportation supervisor calls contacts in outlying areas to determine status of road conditions.
f. Transportation supervisor calls the Jefferson County Road Department.
g. Transportation supervisor calls the superintendent.
2. The superintendent or his designee shall be informed of the hazardous weather or emergency conditions and be provided descriptions of the conditions and reasons for closing schools. The superintendent or his designee shall then make the decision to continue on a regular schedule, announce a delay to start a school or schools, or to close a school or schools.
3. A decision to close or delay the opening of school will be announced as follows:
Superintendent will immediately inform district administrators and supervisory personnel, then inform Central Oregon radio stations and television stations to authorize the school closure announcement. (Illustration E-S) .
District supervisory personnel will immediately inform school staff (i.e. cooks, custodians) to assure safe and healthful school operations.
School principals and/or those responsible for activities will notify other schools or agencies affected by the school closure.