In the event of severe weather, Richland One has procedures in place to make decisions about whether school and work schedules will be modified and to notify students, parents, district employees and the community as quickly as possible.

 

Here’s how it works:

When severe weather is forecast, district officials monitor weather reports, consult with transportation staff and local emergency preparedness agencies, and communicate with neighboring school districts in making a decision.
   
 The superintendent makes the decision by 5:45 a.m. whether to proceed with normal schedules, delay the opening of school or cancel school for the day. In some instances, the decision can be made the preceding afternoon or evening. One of the key factors is whether our buses will be able to travel safely.
   
 Once a decision has been made about the school day, district officials will contact parents via the district’s automated phone notification system. Announcements of school closings or delays also will be sent to local news media and posted on the district’s Web site at www.richlandone.org and on Richland One TV (Time Warner Cable channel 12). Parents, students and employees may call the Richland One InfoPhone at 231-7512 for the most up-to-date information. Parents are urged not to call the schools because doing so could hinder district emergency communications.

 

Other school emergencies, such as power failures, lack of water or sewage problems, also may result in closings, delayes or dismissals. Similar notification procedures would be followed at the district or school level, including whether after-school programs, child-care programs and sports activities will proceed as scheduled.

In the event of a two-hour delay, all school opening schedules will be pushed back two hours and bus pick-up times will be adjusted accordingly. Pre-child development classes are cancelled under a two-hour delayed start schedule.

Parents are urged to make arrangements in advance and establish an emergency plan for their children in the event that schools are closed, start late or are dismissed early.