ACAA-AP: Emergency Closings
The Board authorizes the Superintendent to delay the opening of, dismiss early, or close district schools in the event of hazardous weather, an epidemic, or other unexpected and extraordinary circumstances that threaten the health and/or safety of students and employees. The decision for an emergency closing shall not be arbitrary, capricious, or based merely on convenience.
The Superintendent shall, at a minimum, consider the following factors when exercising their authority under this policy:
- Actual occurrence or imminent possibility of any emergency condition that would make operation of school difficult or dangerous.
- Ability of students and staff to safely report to school and to return safely home.
- Whether or not the emergency condition poses a threat to one or all district schools. If the condition only affects certain schools, only the affected schools shall be closed.
The Superintendent may consult traffic, weather, law enforcement authorities, health officials, and administrators from neighboring districts when weighing the above factors.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER CLOSURES
The decision to have or not have school due to inclement weather will be based on the safety of the district’s students and employees, as well as on the best information available at the time the decision must be made. Parents may choose to pick up their child at school or not to send them to school anytime they feel that the weather is a threat to their child’s safety.
For a weather-related closure, the district considers the following factors:
- Visibility and current/expected wind conditions
- Road conditions (current, anticipated, and the status of city and county road crews) for buses, families, and district staff that need to be on the roads
- The time precipitation starts and the current/expected amount
- Expected duration of the storm
- Alert level from National Weather Service
- Temperature and wind-chill
- Advice from a local climatologist
- Consultation with other K-12 districts
NOTIFICATION
All emergency closing announcements related to West Fargo Public Schools will be reported to local radio and television stations, communicated to parents and guardians by the Blackboard automated messaging system (phone and/or email), and be posted to the school district’s website and social media accounts.
COMPLIANCE
The Superintendent shall determine which district employees are required to report to work to ensure the operation of essential functions or departments during an emergency. Staff are expected to report for work unless unexpected and extraordinary conditions make this impossible. Staff that do not comply and/or do not have good cause for noncompliance may be subject to disciplinary consequences in accordance with policy, law, and, when applicable, the negotiated agreement.
Adopted: 09/24/73
Reviewed: 10/12/15
Revised: 12/11/84
04/22/85
06/23/97
04/26/98
05/10/10
10/12/15
02/18/20
07/27/20