THE DECISION TO CANCEL SCHOOL is one all superintendents wrestle with any time the weather forecast looks grim. Several factors determine when it’s safe to stay open and when it’s better to close for the day.
As a trained meteorologist, I suggest four steps to take when severe weather threatens your area.
»Get the facts.
Have a consistent source for weather information that shows how a weather event could affect specific areas of your district. Last winter’s severe freeze event in Texas caught many school districts off guard, mainly due to a lack of understanding of the potential impact.
One superintendent in Texas discussed his district’s response this way: “I’ll be honest, we didn’t pay attention to the forecast, and there were consequences. There are certain preventative steps that we should have taken in the district but didn’t. Having lived through it, here are the things we plan to do next time: Shut off all water to the buildings, drain the pipes and cut electricity to buildings that aren’t being used. … If this ever happens again, we’ll use the information our weather partner provides us and use our prevention methods to save the school district a lot of time and minimize the damage.”
Some questions to ask meteorologists and local officials when evaluating a weather threat are: Has the event already started, and is it expected to continue and for how long? Are conditions currently poor or likely to deteriorate? Will road conditions deteriorate? Will the weather become more severe or will it clear? Which areas of the district are likely to be affected by the event and how?
»Consult with experts.
The superintendent ultimately makes the final call when it comes to delays or closures, but the district always should seek recommendations from experienced, local resources who may have deep knowledge of the challenges.
Experts to consult with are meteorologists (to provide forecasts and current conditions for specific areas), neighboring school districts, police/fire/emergency medical services, public works, public transportation services and district administrators overseeing transportation, operations and athletics.
Consider who should be involved in a conference call or emergency briefing and use the questions above as basis of the conversation.
»Use location-specific weather forecasts.
With public weather information freely available, there always will be some who will disagree with your decision. This is especially true when severe weather doesn’t materialize after a closure — or worse, you proceed as normal and the weather is more severe than expected, putting students and staff at risk. This is why all school districts should have access to forecasts targeted to their specific location(s) and provide information to support the decision.
Location-specific forecasts enhance safety and accountability, reduce costs by taking a proactive weather approach and help you re-turn to normal at the right time. Having a trusted weather partner means you have access to a team of meteorologists focused on your specific challenges, helping to guide your decisions based on the established thresholds of your facilities.
»Follow best practices.
These include:
»Announce before 9 p.m. to meet nighttime news deadlines if you know weather will impact the coming day.
»Make the announcement by 5 a.m. to accommodate staff and parents who are first on campus if the decision must be made in the morning.
»Consider a delayed start if weather conditions are expected to deteriorate overnight but may not last through the following day.
»Consider early dismissal if school is in session, but realize it may be hard to contact caregivers.
The best decision you can make for your district is to recognize your area’s weather risks and take a proactive approach to preparedness and response.
MEGAN GARCIA is an industry manager and meteorologist with StormGeo in Houston, Texas.