EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING PROCEDURES

PAXTON-BUCKLEY-LODA COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10 P. O. Box 50

Paxton, Illinois 60957-0050 Phone: (217) 379-3314

Fax: (217) 379-2862

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EMERGENCYSCHOOLCLOSINGPROCEDURES

November4,2016DearParent/Guardian:Thewinterseasonisuponusandwithitcomesthepossibilityofinclementweatheraffectingschoolopenings.Weunderstandthatourdecisiontoopenorcloseschoolsinbadweatherhasabigimpactonfamilies.Wealsounderstandthatourstudentsarebetterservedbybeinginschool.However,ourtoppriorityisthesafetyofourstudentsandstaff.SchoolfamiliesanddistrictemployeeswillbenotifiedviaSchoolMessengerifthePBLSchoolDistrictmustcloseduetoinclementweatherorunexpectedcircumstances.PleasereviewyourSkywardcontactinformationbysigningintoSkywardFamilyAccessonthePBLwebsiteatwww.pblunit10.com.OnceyouaresignedintoSkywardFamilyAccess,clickontheSkylerttabontheleft-handsidetoreviewyourphoneandemailinformation.Thiswillassurethatyouwillreceiveimportantschoolclosingandcancellationinformation.Pleasecontactyourchild’sschoolofficeifyoudonothaveapasswordtoSkywardFamilyAccess.Pleasenotethatwhenthedistrictisclosedduetoinclementweather,therewillbenotransportationservicesforourstudentsenrolledinout-of-districtplacements.Publicnotificationwillbeavailableviatelevision,radio,website,andsocialmedia.Ifindoubtaboutwhetherornotschoolwillbeinsession,pleaserefertooneofthefollowingbroadcastoutlets:Television Radio InternetChannel3(WCIA) WPXN(Paxton) www.pblunit10.comChannel15(WICD) WIXY(Champaign) Twitter-@PBLCUSD10 WDWS(Champaign) Facebook–www.facebook.com/PBLunit10 WGCY(GibsonCity) TooptintoreceiveSchoolMessengertextsfromPBL:Text“Y”to68453

FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS:

Howisthedecisiontocloseschoolmade?

Thedecisiontoopenorcloseschoolinbadweatherisbaseduponrelevantfactorsincludingthefollowing: a). roadconditionsthroughoutthedistrict b). currentweatherconditions(snow,ice,wind,temperature) c). forecastedweatherconditions d). buildingconditions(heat,water,electricity) e). conditionsofallsidewalksandparkinglotsattheschools f). schoolclosingdecisionsbyothersurroundingdistricts

Whomakesthedecision?

Thesuperintendentisresponsibleforthefinaldecisionbasedonalltheabovefactorsandinputfromthetransportationandfacilitiesdepartmentsandcollaborationwithsurroundingschoolsuperintendents.

Whenisthedecisionmade?

Typicallybetween5:30a.m.and6:00a.m.

Isschoolevercancelledthenightbefore?

Schoolisoccasionallycancelledthenightbeforeduetheseverityofthecurrentandforecastedweatherconditions.Typicallyanannouncementwillbemadenolaterthan9:30p.m.

Howisthepublicnotified?

YouwillbenotifiedbythesuperintendentviaSchoolMessenger.Theclosingwillalsobepostedonthedistrict’swebsiteatwww.pblunit10.comandseverallocaltelevision,radiostations,website,andthedistrict’ssocialmediasites.Thedistrict’swebsiteisagreatsourceofinformationforschoolclosings,delayedopenings,extra-curricularcancellations,postponements,andreschedulingofevents.

Whataboutearlyclosings?

Everyeffortismadetokeepstudentsinschoolforthefulldayoncetheyarrive.Ifconditionsaresevereandwarrantanearlyclosing,theinformationwillbepostedonthedistrict’swebsite,broadcastonseveraltelevisionandradiostations,andpostedonthedistrict’ssocialmediasites.Parents/guardianswillalsobenotifiedviaSchoolMessengerofanearlyclosing.

Doesschooleverstartlateduetoweather?

Onoccasion,PBLhasstartedschoollateduetoweather.Atypicallatestartisusuallyduetoextremelylowtemperaturesordistrictmaintenancestaffneedingadditionaltimetoremovesnoworicefromparkinglotsandsidewalksafterawinterstorm.PBLwillnotbeginschoollaterthantwo(2)hoursafternormalstarttime.ParentswillbenotifiedbySchoolMessenger,website,socialmediasites,radio,andtelevisionstations.

Whatifmychild(ren)isplacedandattendsaschooloutsideofthedistrict?

TransportationtotheseplacementswillnotoperatewhenPBLcancelsschool.IfPBLdismissesearlyduetoweatherconditions,PBLwilltransportstudentsbacktotheirhomedistrictinatimelyandsafemanner.

DistrictTransportation

Schoolbustransportationvehicleshaveexceptionalsafetyrecords.Transportationmayrunlateduringinclementweatherandroadconditions.Pleasenotifythebusgarageandschoolifyourchild(ren)willnotberidingthebustoorfromschooloninclementweatherdaystoensureallstudentsareaccountedfor.Duringinclementweatherdayswhenschoolisinsession,thedistrictwillhaveanextrabusanddriveronstandbyshouldabreakdownoccurduringaroutewithstudentsaboard.Thispracticereduceslongdelayswhenrespondingtothistypeofsituation.

Extra-Curriculars

Ifschoolisdismissedearlyduetoweather,allextra-curricularpracticesandeventswillbecancelled.

Onsomeoccasions,ifweatherconditionsimprove,PBLhasallowedvarsitysportstoconductpracticesintheearlyafternoonorplayvarsitycontestsonasnowday.Thisdecisionismadebythesuperintendentincoordinationwiththebuildingprincipalandathleticdirector.Practicesonsnowdaysarenotrequired,andstudentsunabletoattendthesepracticeswillnotbepenalized.

Inconclusion,itisveryimportantthateveryfamilydiscussandpracticeaplanfortheirchild(ren)intheeventofanunexpectedschoolclosingwhentheparents/guardiansmightbedelayedinarrivinghome,i.e.havingthechild(ren)reportdirectlytothehomeofatrustedneighbor,etc.Pleaserememberthatthedecisiontocloseschoolduetoinclementweatherisbasedonthebestinformationavailableatthetimethedecisionismade.However,thedistrictcanneverbesurehowweatherwillaffectaparticulararea.Ifyoudonotfeelthatitissafeforyourchildtoattendschool,useyourbestjudgment.

Sincerely, CliffMcClure, Superintendent