Dear school community,
We want to thank everyone who participated in our recent survey on school closures. Your feedback has been valuable in helping us understand common concerns and improve our processes.
Many of you expressed concerns about the frequency of school closures and the need for more flexible options. We have listened to your feedback and are making the following changes to take advantage of additional instructional time while ensuring safety.
New Options for School Closures
Closure by Family of Schools: We will now begin making closure decisions by family of schools. This means, closures may be either all SSRCE schools or they may be localized, considering the varying weather conditions across different areas.
Wondering which family of schools your child(ren)’s school belongs to? This is based on which high school the elementary and middle school feed into. A family of school closure could include any of the following: Forest Heights Family of Schools, New Germany Family of Schools, Park View Family of Schools, Liverpool Family of Schools, and/or North Queens Family of Schools. You can view the full list here.
Delayed Start: We are also adding a delayed start option. This process will be used when a storm has ended and roads are in the process of being cleared. A delayed start means that buses and classes would start exactly two hours later than usual. For example, if your child typically gets the bus at 7 a.m. and there is a delayed start, they would then get their bus at 9 a.m. Schools may adjust their daily schedule, however all schools will have their lunch time and the day will always end at the regular time.
Parents are encouraged to make backup plans for delayed starts. If you will require a different bus stop for your child on a delayed start, please contact Transportation at busdispatch@ssrce.ca.
Notification
Families will be notified of a delayed start or a family of school closure the same way they are currently made aware of school closures. We understand the frustration of last-minute notifications and will make all attempts to announce these changes by 6 a.m. As a reminder, closure information will be posted to our website and social media pages, shared with news outlets, and sent by email and text through our service provider to contact information we have on file. Opt-ins are required to receive text messages. If you haven’t already done so, text “Y” (from a number on file with a school) to 978338.
Safety First
Safety will always be our top priority when making the decision to alter the school day due to weather. This process starts at 4 a.m. and involves many SSRCE staff and outside partners. Learn more about weather decisions in this short video.
Again, we thank everyone who shared their thoughts and helped us to make informed decisions to better serve our students, parents, and staff.
Sincerely,
Angela Gladwin
SSRCE Regional Executive Director