School officials don’t wake up on a snowy morning, look out the window and make a decision on whether to close or delay schools for the day, said Kathryn Reith, communications director for the Lake Washington School District (LWSD).
They’ve got an idea the night before how things might go and they’ve got a definitive plan in place two to three hours before school bells are scheduled to ring, depending on varying start times for elementary, middle and high schools.
Transportation department drivers check on roads during the middle of the night, Reith said of the first step in the potential school-closing or delay process. From 4:30-4:45 a.m., drivers will touch base with the director of support services, who is in contact with a meteorologist creating a micro-forecast for the local area. Next up is a phone call between the director of support services and the deputy superintendent — and, finally, Superintendent Dr. Traci Pierce gets the last call and makes the decision if schools will be open, closed or delayed for the day.
According to a recent LWSD newsletter, the district notifies parents using the SchoolMessenger calling system if schools will be delayed or canceled. Calls will begin by 6 a.m., and the early calls ensure that high school students with long bus rides get the message before leaving home. According to Reith, LWSD has 62 buses carrying students to school each day.
“It’s always based on the best information we have available to make the best possible plan,” said Reith, adding that television news reports don’t always relay the “critical” weather information for the LWSD area, so the contracted meteorologist plays a huge role in the district’s decisions.
Last year there were no snow days, but the weather may not be as friendly this year, Reith said. “We’ve already had a review of protocol to make sure everything’s in place,” she added.
The closure/delay information is also posted on FlashAlert.net, which also lists information for all area schools and colleges. The district and school websites will also feature an emergency alert if school has been delayed or canceled. Parents can call the district’s main phone number at (425) 936-1200, and an emergency message will be recorded on this system, as well.
The LWSD covers 75 square miles from the Kirkland waterfront to the Sammamish Plateau and Reith said that parents need to understand that officials make a district-wide decision even if weather conditions may be different in each area.
“We can’t just close part of the district or a school. We base the decision on the whole district,” she said. “Parents need to look at what’s best for their family and keep students home if the roads are dangerous.”
