District and school administration will monitor the National Weather Service and will initiate notifications and communication throughout the district when poor air quality, lightning, or severe weather is present. These conditions can change rapidly, and employees should keep a close eye on changing weather conditions to be prepared to take action if necessary. This policy applies to all Kimberly School District events on or off school campus.
Air Quality
To determine air quality, district administration will utilize the closest DEQ monitoring station to the school or event. If an event is being held in a location that is between multiple monitoring stations an average of those station’s air quality will determine the air quality for the location.
Air Quality 51 to 100: Outdoor activities are permissible, paying close attention to those students that are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Air Quality 101 to 150: Outdoor activities are permissible only when additional rest periods are provided for students. Administration will confer with the school’s Athletic Trainer, Certified (ATC) or other medical personnel to determine appropriate additional rest periods. School personnel will closely monitor all students, particularly those groups that are sensitive to poor air quality.
Air Quality over 150: All students and staff will remain indoors, and outdoor activities are not permissible. In the event an activity has begun and during the event the air quality rises above 150 all participants will be moved indoors until the air quality decreases to below 150 or the event will be cancelled or postponed as determined by district administration in charge of the event. Prior to a scheduled outdoor event, when air quality is over 100, the administration may determine to postpone, move, or cancel the outdoor activity.
Lightning
Administrators will monitor lighting activity during outdoor events. When lighting-detection devices or mobile apps are available, this technology can be used to determine the proximity of lightning strikes. However, hearing thunder and seeing lighting should take precedence over lighting-detection devices or mobile apps and play shall be suspended. In the event that a lightning strike has occurred within a 10-mile radius within the previous 30 minutes during an outdoor event administration will direct all students, staff, and spectators to move indoors and remain indoors. Upon administrative approval, the outdoor event will convene once there has not been a lightning strike within a 10-mile radius within the previous 30 minutes.
Hazardous Weather
In the event a hazardous weather condition, as determined by the National Weather service, has been identified in the area of an outdoor activity, all students and staff will be moved indoors and remain indoors until the National Weather Service has determined the hazard has passed and the administration has determined it is safe to return outdoors. Administration will keep in mind that during one of these events there may be power outages, downed power lines, floods, etc. which would make it unsafe to return outdoors. Students and staff shall stay away from windows and exterior doors during a hazardous weather event and remain by an interior wall. Hazardous conditions, such as tornados/thunderstorms/severe wind, can develop in seconds and not allow for formal means of communication. In the event an employee feels that weather is immediately threatening, they will instruct students, employees, and others to take immediate cover near an interior wall indoors.
Frigid Temperatures
Students will remain indoors when the air temperature is below 10 or windchill below 0 utilizing the national weather service (weather.gov.) This does not preclude school officials limiting outdoor activities when the temperature is above 10 or windchill above 0.
Policy History:
Adopted on: November 14, 2018
Revised on: April 19, 2023