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Inclement Weather Procedure

Chief Leschi Schools

Chief Leschi Schools – Inclement Weather Process 2024-2025

 

 

Dear Warrior Families:

We have moved into the Fall season as temperatures outside continue to drop. We wanted to get out communication to families as we have started to finalize our preparation procedures for bad weather. School delays and closures are never ideal but sometimes conditions warrant us acting to protect the safety of our students and staff. Please review the following information and let us know if you have any questions.

How we make decisions about a delay or cancellation:

Chief Leschi is unique in the fact that we offer door-to-door pickup for our students. This leads to unique challenges that other districts do not deal with. Currently, our buses travel through 11 other school districts to pick up our students. This unique travel means that we are watching conditions and relying on communication from multiple sources around the region. Our transportation department is out early in the mornings to assess local road conditions. However, we cannot cover the entirety of our routes and will rely on local districts to access their roads. If a district around us closes because they feel it to be unsafe, we will not travel to our student’s homes in those districts for safety and liability reasons. If conditions warrant changes to our schedule we will try and make that initial determination for delays by 5:00am and then make a final decision before 8:00am. If we know with reasonable confidence that morning conditions will be unsafe, we will make that decision before 8 pm. If you are unsure what school district you reside in, please visit our transportation website located here.

How we will notify you:

Parents and guardians will be notified through our ParentSquare app. This will allow you to get messages via text and email. All parents will receive the school notifications unless you have opted out in the app. This app uses the information in our Student Information system to pull your contact data. If you are not receiving notifications or need to change your contact information, please contact our enrollment department at 253-445-6000 ext. 3190.  Families can also refer to our social media channels and the district website. In addition, families may use the Flash Alert system that can be set up to alert you of all the school closures in our area.
If you are moving in the upcoming months, please inform Enrollment & Transportation so your records can be up to date.

    • Enrollment: (253)- 400-6000 ext. 3190
    • Transportation: 253-445-4000

What options do we consider:

      Two-hour delay: This delay gives everyone a little more time for everyone to get to school. This also allows for conditions to improve, and usually ensures that bus routes happen in daylight in case of any remaining road issues. If conditions happen on an already late start day, school will still start on the same schedule.

      School Closure: Closure will be necessary if conditions will not improve fast enough to ensure the safety of students and staff arriving at school.  Again, this decision may be based on other districts closing, thereby preventing us from safely getting to our student with busses. If unsafe conditions are expected the following day, this decision may be made the night before.

      Closing after we are at school: If conditions have worsened during the day, and we do not believe it will be safe to get students and staff home after school, we may make the decision to end the school day early and get everyone home safely before conditions get worse.

      Skipped Route: Since we cover such a large area, it is conceivable that we can safely transport some students while others may have to stay home for their safety. In this case, we will excuse the absence for the students affected.

What about after-school activities and events?

School activities may be impacted by school closures and delays. If school is closed or ended early, then after school activities will be cancelled. During late starts, information will be communicated throughout the day on the status of after-school activities.

Tribal Council, School Board, and I appreciate your understanding and collaboration for the upcoming winter months. Chief Leschi busses cover over 295 square miles every day. Please remember that current weather conditions may vary greatly in our pickup area. We will always err on the side of safety for our students and staff. Please feel free to reach out to our transportation department if you have specific questions about your student.