All students, parents, and school employees should assume that school will be in session and buses running as scheduled, unless there is official notification from the Superintendent to the contrary. Such notice will be given via public media.
In the event that extremely cold temperatures, wind chill factors, snow, wind or other circumstances that require a modification of the normal routine, the Superintendent will make the modification decision as soon as possible and contact the public radio stations for broadcast to the community and will initiate the emergency “calling tree” communication procedure for all schools.
Work Schedules and Responsibilities for School Closures
Superintendent
Only the Superintendent shall have the authority to close schools. The Superintendent will be on duty throughout any existing or potential emergency situations, day or night. All orders that are of doubtful origin should be confirmed with the Superintendent.
Central Administrative Personnel
Central administrative personnel shall be expected to report for duty on their assigned shifts in the event of any school closure insofar as is safely possible. Additional hours may be required of the Maintenance Supervisor, Business Administrative Assistant and Personnel Administrative Assistant, depending on the nature of the emergency. If these employees are unable to report to work or they are sent home by their immediate supervisor or the superintendent, they will be compensated under an “emergency closure leave*”.
Building-Level Administrators, Non-Teaching “Exempt” Personnel, and Key Support Staff
All building-level administrators and directors shall report for duty per their normal shifts or as otherwise directed each day during the school closure, together with the maintenance and custodial staff, insofar as is safely possible. The building administrator shall ascertain that the building has been adequately secured and that any child who mistakenly reports to school [in the event that school has been closed] is properly and safely cared for and returned home per district policy. The administrator and this minimal support staff shall notify other staff and/or other support employees of the situation, and shall respond to telephone questions. When the situation has been stabilized, the personnel who reported to work may return home after consultation with their immediate supervisor or the superintendent. An administrator who does not work a normal day shall then adjust his/her work year by memorandum to the Superintendent by the number of hours not worked on the day or days of school closure to the extent an emergency closure exceeds three days in one school year.
12-Month Classified Employees
In the event of an emergency school closure, other 12-month classified personnel may report for duty or not report for duty, as directed by their immediate supervisor or the Superintendent. If a 12-month classified employee is unable to or does not report for duty, they will be compensated under an “emergency closure leave*”.
10-Month Classified Employees
Ten month classified employees may report for duty or not report for duty as directed by their immediate supervisor or Superintendent. If such employees do not report for duty they will be compensated under the “emergency closure leave*”.
Bus Drivers, Instructional Assistants and Food Service Workers
These employees work only those days when school is in session and are not expected to work when school is not in session. If school has been closed, these employees should not report for duty unless otherwise directed by their immediate supervisor or the Superintendent. They will be compensated under an “emergency closure leave*”.
Teachers (Teachers, Librarians, Psychologists, Counselors)
If schools are closed for weather or other emergency conditions, teachers are not expected to report for duty unless directed otherwise. Teachers do not need to submit an absence form. If the schools are closed, under an emergency closure situation, for more than 3 days in one school year, the days in excess of three will be re-calendared in the school year.
*Emergency closure leave will not be in excess of three work days in one school year and will be calculated on the number of hours the employee was scheduled to work on those days.
Procedure History:
First Reading: 11/26/02
Adopted on: 1/28/03
Revised on: June 5, 2008