Sequim School District

Información sobre el mal clima /cierre de la escuela para el año escolar 2019 -2020

Printable Copy of 2019-2020 Inclement Weather Letter to Families

Inclement Weather / School Closure Information for 2019-2020 School Year

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

The early morning frost on the windshield indicates that our fall is drawing to a close. With cooler weather approaching, I would like to take this opportunity to provide our families with information concerning our inclement weather decisions. Our first and most important priority is to insure the safety of all our students. While the decision to open, close, or delay the school start time can be complicated due to changing and unpredictable weather occurrences, it is our goal to inform our families as soon as possible using a variety of communication avenues. With this as a goal, we will exercise one of the following options depending on weather conditions:

1. Schools will OPEN AT REGULAR TIMES. Buses will either operate on regular routes at regular times, or on pre-determined snow routes. If buses operate on snow routes in the morning, we will operate on snow routes in the afternoon regardless of changing weather conditions.
2. Schools will open on a 2-HOUR DELAYED START. Schools open two hours later than regular times. This means for Helen Haller Elementary, Sequim Middle School, Olympic Peninsula Academy and Sequim High School, 2-hour delayed start time Monday through Friday would be 10:15 a.m. For Greywolf Elementary, 2-hour delayed start time Monday through Friday would be 10:30 a.m. Bus pick up times will be 2 hours later than the normal times and may operate on regular routes or on snow routes. Preschool will not be offered on delayed start days. A full breakfast may not be served on a delayed start schedule. Announcements concerning evening activities, practices, etc. will be made on the day of the delay.
3. Schools will CLOSE. If the decision to close is necessary, all scheduled school events, practices, community events that utilize school facilities, etc. will be cancelled.

Our buses are the safest means of transportation during inclement weather. Our drivers are highly trained, and all precautions are taken to insure the safety of our students. On Snow Route Days parents must be there to pick up their student(s) at the drop off locations by the listed times (for those students not walking to their homes). If a parent or responsible adult of a non-walker does not meet their child at the drop off location, the student will remain on the bus and return to the bus garage with the driver.

Rarely is school cancelled as a result of our inability to safely operate our buses. However, a number of factors must be considered when making our inclement weather decision. Those factors are addressed on the back of this letter.

I would encourage each family to keep a copy of the enclosed information in an easily accessible location. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience at those times we must make changes to our regular routine.

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert Clark
Interim Superintendent

Inclement Weather / School Closure Information for 2019-2020 School Year

Where can I get information concerning the decision? If bad weather conditions, unusual building circumstances, or other unforeseen activities occur during the night or day, Sequim School District will list modified schedule and bus route information on the district website www.sequimschools.org by 6:15 a.m. You can also download the Sequim School District app for Apple and Android or follow the Sequim School District Facebook page.

In the event of a school closure or 2-hour delayed start, the district’s automated phone system will begin calling and texting households as early at 6 A.M. A message will also be sent via e-mail. For this purpose, it is important that your student’s school office has up-to-date contact information in Skyward.

To receive text message alerts from the Sequim School District, you must ‘opt-in’. If you need assistance opting -in, please contact your student’s school. Text message and data rates may apply.

You may also find information broadcasted on AM (KONP 1450, KOMO 1000), FM (KUOW 94.9, KPLZ 101.5, KSQM 91.5, KONP 101.7) and TV News (KOMO 4, KING 5, KIRO 7, Q13 FOX).

What factors influence the decision?
Please understand that we make the decision to open or close the schools in bad weather based on a careful analysis of all relevant factors, such as:

• Information on road conditions from transportation staff, maintenance staff, and from Washington State Patrol. We must give careful consideration to the most dangerous roads in the district. Even if your street looks clear, travel elsewhere in the district may be dangerous. Also, we must consider that some high school students drive to school.
• Amount of snow and/or ice accumulated.
• Whether precipitation is continuing.
• Building conditions (whether we have electricity and water).
• Parking lot conditions. Administrators talk to maintenance and custodial staff members who are responsible for clearing and treating school parking lots and sidewalks.
• Temperature and wind chill. Please remember that some of our students walk to school and some must wait outside for the bus.
• Weather predictions. We prefer not making our decision based on weather predictions, which are not always accurate. But sometimes this in unavoidable.
• What other school districts are doing. We also share information with other local districts and check whether they are opening or closing.

Who makes the decision? The superintendent makes the decision after consulting with the transportation and maintenance supervisors, Clallam County Highway Department, State Patrol, and neighboring school districts.

When must the decision be made? The decision must be made prior to 6 a.m. or earlier in order to notify radio and TV stations and post the decision on our website. If the decision is delayed, some parents will have already left for work, leaving their children unsupervised.

General Information about Snow Bus Routes:  

• If you catch a bus from any of the roads listed below, read the description for alternate stops and times for the Snow Schedule. On snow route days, a parent/guardian must be present to pick up their student at the drop off locations by the listed times. If a parent or responsible adult does not meet their child at the drop off location, the student will remain on the bus and return to the bus garage with the driver. 
• Special Needs and Preschool Students: Parents of special needs and preschool students will need to make alternative arrangements for pick up and drop off locations, or transport their own student (A.M., Midday & P.M.). Please call our transportation department at 582-3274 or 582-3273 to make alternative arrangements.

Sequim School District Transportation Snow Routes 2019-2020
 * All bus routes not mentioned below are running on regular routes.

Bambi Bus: Cancellation of bus route up Blue Mt. Students on Blue Mt. will be picked up at Blue Mt. Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:15 am. Fern Rd Transit Stop at 7:18 am. Students that live on South Barr Rd. will be picked up at South Barr Rd. Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:20 am. Cliff Robinson 7:23 am, Pierson Rd. Transit Stop on Hwy. 101at 7:25 a.m. Students on Kirk Rd. will be picked up at Kirk Rd. Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:35 am. Afternoon drop times are: Blue Mt. 3:25 pm, Fern Road 3:28 pm, South Barr 3:30 pm, Cliff Robinson 3:33 pm, Pierson Rd. 3:35 pm, Kirk Rd. 3:45 pm. Stops on Hwy. 101 will be made only if pull-off are cleared to pull over.

Bear Bus: Cancellation of bus route south of Secor Rd. Students affected by these cancellations will be picked up at Avellana & River Rd. at 7:30 a.m. and dropped off at the same location at 3:24 p.m. The Turnstone students will be picked up at W. Silberhorn and Turnstone at 7:18 a.m. and dropped off at 3:20 p.m.

Brown Rabbit Bus: Cancellation of route on East Sequim Bay Rd. The Brown Rabbit bus will be at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Seven Cedars Casino (back parking lot) at 7:00 am and leave at 7:15 am to pick up and at 3:40 pm to drop off students whose parents car pool them to that area.

Magoo: No service to Washington Harbor Loop, Lofgrin, Simdars & E. Brownfield. Students can be picked up at Elk Creek Appt. At 7:30 a.m. and dropped at 3:40 p.m.

Minnie Mouse Bus: Cancellation of routes in Diamond Point and Chicken Coop area. The Minnie Mouse bus will be at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Seven Cedars Casino (back parking lot) at 7:15 a.m. and leave at 7:30 a.m. to pick up and 3:15 p.m. to drop off students whose parents car-pool them to that area.

Motorgoat Bus: Cancellation of routes on Fish Hatchery, Lost Mountain, Olson and Hooker Roads. Students in these areas can board the bus at the Taylor Cutoff/Fish Hatchery pull out at 7:20 a.m. and will be dropped off at 3:30 pm. Option: Be picked up at Greywolf Elementary School at 7:40 a.m. and dropped off at 3:10 p.m.

Pluto Bus: Cancellation of bus route east of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Seven Cedars Casino. The Pluto bus will be at the Casino (back parking lot) at 7:15 am and leave at 7:30 am to pick up and 3:15 pm to drop off students whose parents car-pool them to that area. Pluto will pick up students at their regular stops on 101 between Sequim and the Casino. The bus stops on Hwy. 101 only if pull offs are clear to pull over west of the Casino.

Thumper Bus: Cancellation of bus route on Palo Alto Rd, Eastern Happy Valley and 3rd Ave. Students on Palo Alto Road and from this area will be picked up at the SW end of QFC Plaza at 990 E. Washington St. at 7:20 am and dropped off at 3:10 pm. Eastern Happy Valley and 3rd Avenue pick up at Ferrell Gas at 646 South 3rd Avenue at 7:35 am and dropped off at 3:00 pm.

Turtle Bus: Students on Shore, Heuhslein, and Lewis Roads will be picked up at R Corner Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:15 am and dropped off at 3:20 pm. Sieberts Creek Rd. students will be picked up at 7:25 am and dropped off at 3:25 pm. O’Brien Rd. students will be picked up at their Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:35 am and dropped off at 3:35 pm. Students on Sherbourne, Atterberry, and Cassidy will be picked up at Hooker Rd. Transit Stop on Hwy. 101 at 7:45 am and dropped off at 3:45 pm.

Woodstock Bus: Cancellation of bus route south of Hwy. 101. Students will be picked up at Hemlock and 2nd Avenue next to the City Shop at 7:30 am and dropped off at 3:30 pm.

Mid-day Preschool Snow Route:
Winnie the Pooh & Spongebob: Midday preschool parents will need to call Transportation Department by 9:00 a.m. to inform and discuss whether or not the student will be riding and where the pick-up destination will be.