Dear ASD-S
Families,
This letter is
to help families understand our policies and decisions regarding snow day
cancellations. The decision to cancel school is never taken lightly and we
understand the challenge created by the change of routine, both at home and in
the classroom.
How
do we decide?
We begin
watching weather systems the day before anticipated weather, consulting various
forecasts with hourly information such as temperatures, winds, snow, freezing
rain, and ice. At 4:30am, a group from our transportation team check the
latest forecasts, consult with Department of Transportation and Infrastructure,
municipalities, and neighbouring school districts. This information is
presented to our Superintendent to make the final call.
Our
decisions will be announced prior to 6:30 a.m. and they are based on the
forecasts we have, and information we are able to collect on road
conditions. Schools are closed by Education Centre (Hampton Education
Centre, Saint John Education Centre, St. Stephen Education Centre). Schools
within an Education Centre may be closed depending on conditions.
Our three
education centres are large and diverse. Our communities are urban and rural,
in-land and coastal. Our buses travel 33,000 km per day transporting 18,000
students and we have 5000 student walkers. The weather does not always occur as
anticipated and how the weather impacts one area may not be the same as in
another. Sometimes what is the best decision for one neighbourhood may not be
as apparent for another, but in each case the safety of all our students is
paramount.
If schools remain open, and as a parent/guardian you feel
that conditions in your area are not safe for your child to go to school, then
ultimately you have the final decision whether or not to send your child to
school.
What
about the lost instructional time?
Teachers
have room in their lesson plans to deal with closures and are experienced at
modifying lessons and balancing the school year to make up for the lost time.
Also, many teachers have plans in place to deal with snow days. Some may assign
work ahead of anticipated closures or share expectations ahead of time. This
could be instruction to review previous lessons, read ahead, continue project
work, solve math problems, or practice creative writing, spelling, or sight
words.
Students
can also take an active role in continued learning by finding meaningful work
to complete on snow days, such as reviewing previous chapters, getting ahead on
assignments, or playing educational games. We also recognize the value of the
global competencies reinforced when students volunteer in the community to
remove snow, child mind, or help out at home.
What
Can Families Do?
Families
are asked to establish plans for those days schools are closed or buses are
delayed.
Families are encouraged to subscribe online for email notifications or follow us
on Twitter @ASD_South for the latest announcements about
delays and closures.
Announcements are also made through the local radio
stations, the District website, and the Information Phone line (1-855-535-7669
[SNOW]).
Parents
and guardians can also encourage their students to seek out opportunities to
learn, on snow days, and every day.
More information
about snow days is in the ASD-S Inclement Weather Policy which can be found on the
ASD-S website.