| Emergency Weather Plan
| | | An Emergency Weather Plan for DeKalb County Schools |
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What You Should Do When Severe Weather Occurs
When severe weather creates hazardous conditions in DeKalb County, regular school scheduling may be suspended. Advance preparation enables the DeKalb County School System to cope with such situations. The first condition for making a decision to suspend school system operations is safety. Approximately 80,000 pupils in 972 school buses travel daily over 76,000 miles on school bus routes. The condition of neighborhood streets during severe weather is usually far more hazardous than on major thoroughfares.
DeKalb County Schools’ major concern is the safety of all 100,000 students—those who ride buses, those who walk, and those who drive their own cars to school.
Making Decisions
The final decision for closing schools is made by the school superintendent. The superintendent is in contact overnight with DeKalb County security specialists (the National Weather Service, the DeKalb County Police Department, Emergency Management, the Georgia State Patrol, and others) who monitor reports of existing weather hazards. DeKalb County Schools’ transportation personnel are on scene between 4:00 AM and 5:00 AM to assess weather conditions.
The decision is made prior to 5:00 AM and sent to the public information officer who contacts the news media regarding school system closing.
This information is normally broadcast on local radio and television stations by 6:15 AM.
It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor local news reports or to contact the local school to find out whether the school system has closed in the event of severe weather.
Important to Keep in Mind
If, in a parent’s judgment, weather conditions represent a threat to the child’s safety, the parent should keep the child at home.
Handling Sudden Emergencies
School officials meet sudden emergencies during the school day caused by storms or tornadoes with precision and concern for safety of students and staff. However, it is most important that parents be aware that they are responsible for their children if dismissal from schools takes place. Alternate arrangements must be made now by parents to house a child in case parents cannot be home.
What Happens at the School?
When severe weather watches are announced, immediate emergency procedures are taken for safety in schools or for dispatch of students to homes.
School principals make key decisions about the safety of all students and personnel under their supervision.
The superintendent or superintendent's designee makes the final decision whether or not to dismiss school. The DeKalb County School System never dismisses students without this authorization.
Make-Up Days
For our students, faculty, and staff, safety is our primary concern. The Superintendent and staff are continually working to ensure that the school calendar is adjusted such that the instructional program is not disrupted.
The State Department of Education provides up to four excused days for Georgia school districts due to inclement weather or emergencies that would not require make-up days.
On Thursday, January 27, 2011 the Board of Education voted to approve two instructional make-up days for the 2010–2011 school year. The approved days are February 18, 2011 and February 21, 2011. |
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