Emergency School Closure Procedures

Procedures for changes in normal operation and procedures for canceling bus transportation due to inclement weather

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Weather conditions resulting in hazards from flood, snow, ice or extremely cold temperatures severe enough to interrupt transporting pupils and staff travel to assigned schools, may result in a delay in starting time or closing of one or all of the schools, or one or more programs within the district. The following procedure will be used until further notice:

1. The director of transportation services will determine the status of bus operations and road conditions by collecting data from the following sources:

• Anchorage Police Department
• State of Alaska road maintenance department
• Anchorage and Eagle River road maintenance departments
• ASD safety officers and contractor personnel who have driven area roads prior to 4:30 a.m.
• ASD maintenance department personnel

2. The director of transportation services will call the assistant superintendent for support services to report status of bus operations and road conditions. The assistant superintendent will then call the superintendent. The information from the above sources will be analyzed and a decision made from among those listed below:

• No schools closed: normal operation.
• Delayed opening of schools: Schools will open one hour later than the normal schedule. School buses will run one hour later than the normal schedule. All staff report at usual time if safety permits. 
• Schools only closed: All teachers report to alternative work sites, of individual choice. Custodial staff report; facilities/maintenance staff report; other support staff report as specified in appropriate contract. 

4. All district facilities closed: Emergency staff only report, including all facilities/maintenance staff. Designated emergency staff members have been identified at each school. Other impacts are described above.

3. If the assistant superintendent for support services is unable to contact the superintendent, then the assistant superintendent and the director of transportation will confer and make the decision.

4. All coordination should be completed by 4:30 a.m. The final decision for a change in normal operation will be made by the superintendent no later than 5:00 a.m. The superintendent will confirm any change in normal operation with the leadership team.   

5. All closings or changes in normal operation are to be reported to radio and television stations in the Anchorage area by the director of communications starting immediately after notification by the superintendent. Notification should be completed approximately 20-30 minutes after communications is alerted. Public announcements should start no later than 5:30 a.m.

6. The communications department will update announcements on the ASD web site and the district’s main switchboard, 742-4000.

7. The executive director of human resources will notify substitute dispatch and the assistant superintendent for support services will notify student nutrition of changes in normal operation.

Similar procedures are in effect on non-student days. The content of messages relayed over selected radio stations will be edited appropriately if changes in normal operation occur on an in-service day.

Reviewed 9/2008