How and Why We Close (or Delay) School Because of Weather
In spite of Doppler radar and other advances in weather prediction, it is difficult to be sure about the weather and the road conditions we may encounter in the thirty-five square miles the District encompasses.
Our highest priority is always the safety of our students and staff, whenever we consider whether to delay or cancel school. Long before the start of the school day, we take a series of steps to assess the weather and road conditions during inclement weather.
This literally starts the night before: As the district's night security officer makes his rounds, he checks road conditions and monitors the weather. Our Transportation staff is on the road by 3:30 a.m. to do further spot checks within the district. The decision to alter our school schedule is based on observations made during this time. We must make the decision to delay or cancel school by 5 a.m. in order to have sufficient time to notify the media, our drivers and our students' parents.
When the decision has been made to cancel or delay school, we make information available in as many ways as possible:
- Calls, email and text messages are sent to parents through the district's automated call-out system. Calls are scheduled to go out around 6 a.m. so that early start students and parents get the information before leaving for the day. If we are experiencing an extreme stretch of weather, such as just prior to Thanksgiving last year, you may receive a call the night before.
- On the front page of the district website, at www.fwps.org.
- On major television and news radio stations. If you do not see Federal Way School District listed, or if the station says "no report", it means we are operating on a normal schedule.
- E-mail notification can be sent to you at the same time the TV and radio stations get them. To receive these, you must sign up for emergency notification at www.schoolreport.org.
- Finally, a recording will be on the district's main number, 253-945-2000, if there is a change in our normal schedule.
Remember, if you feel it's not safe to make the trip to school, you are well within your rights to keep your child home. You are in the best position to decide about your local conditions and your child's judgment and driving capabilities. While we go to extensive measures to determine if roads district-wide are safe for travel, it's physically impossible for us to be on every street corner and side-street at all times. We rely on you to be the final judge when it comes to the safety of your child.
Posted: November 9, 2011