Winter Weather and Red Oak Schools - We are Ready to Keep Students and Staff Safe...
Winter weather is now here – and it is only November in Iowa. Winter weather can mean many things - fog, freezing rain, blowing snow, and artic temperatures. It is a good time to review plans at home; plans for early dismissals; plans that affect jobs and managing changes in school schedules; and a multitude of other things like activities practices; rescheduled games; and other inconveniences. Each school day nearly 1100 students, 1500 families, and 200 employees could be effected by poor weather conditions. Buses travel over 175 miles each day – twice. Getting students to and from school safely is the number one goal. Getting schools ready to open on bad weather days is often a challenge. Most, if not all school cancellations are made the day of the severe weather – not the night before. Do you and your family have a plan if school is delayed or closed? With November’s cold sending a reminder of the winter months to come, making contingency plans now will be helpful.
Important information to know . . . . .
- This winter season a cancellation of school on any day could be made as early as 4 am and as late as 6:15 am. A two person team that includes the Superintendent and the Director of Maintenance/Operations will review all conditions including but not limited to state highways, rural road conditions, and the five school campuses. The final decision about the closing of schools, late starts, or early dismissals is the responsibility of the school superintendent.
- The first public announcement regarding the status of Red Oak Schools will be made via Red Oak’s KCSI 95.3 FM / KOAK 1080 AM. Other announcements are then communicated via Omaha television and area radio stations. An announcement will scroll across the district’s website located at http://www.redoakschooldistrict.com .
- This year parents and patrons can be notified about the closing of school; the early dismissal of school; or the schools’ late start through the addition of email notifications and/or text messaging. This information will be gleaned from our student data base. It will be tested during the week of December 8-12. If you do not want to be notified using email or text, please notify the district’s business office at 712.623.6600 or by contacting Karla Wood, woodk@roschools.com.
- If district schools experience a two hour delay, schools will begin at 10:15 am. Building principals will adjust schedules to match building needs. If a late start of school occurs on a designated Wednesday early out for professional development, then the early out is automatically cancelled.
- If district schools experience an early dismissal, every attempt will be made to ensure all students have the opportunity for a hot lunch before leaving. An early out automatically cancels all planned activities and all planned after school meetings – without exception. Early dismissals allow all teachers to depart the buildings as soon as students are on their way.
- In this 2014 – 2015 school year the number of hours is recorded rather than the number of days for meeting the requirements of the Iowa school attendance regulations. This method of reporting allows the district more flexibility when faced with a large number of missed school days. When feasible, lost school days will be made up especially if the calendar built-in snow days are available. This year those two dates are Monday, February 16 and Monday, April 6. If a school day is lost due to weather before February 16, 2015, the first make-up day will be Monday, February 16. If there is no loss of school prior to February 16, then February 16 becomes a school day holiday. A second calendar snow make-up is planned for Monday, April 6 and will be used if necessary.
- Many school families have asked about the lost days of school for Red Oak Middle School. Due to the Labor Day water event damage, no classes were conducted on September 2, 3, 4, and 5 in grades six to eight. At Red Oak High, one day of class was lost – September 8 – due to transitions. Without knowing the number of days needed for severe winter weather, no decision can be made for the make-up of lost school days until later in the winter. It is very likely February 16 will be a make-up day for at least grades six through twelve.