Guidance on Closure Decision
Closing school is a judgment call made by the superintendent or designee for all schools. Official closing is posted on the NSBSD website by 6:30am the day of school. NSBSD does not operate school when it is unsafe for students to travel to school. Considerations for determining safety are specific to each site locale and equipment and should be assessed thoroughly.
Elements to consider include but are not limited to:
1. Temperature: Generally, school is canceled when Frostbite formation temperature is less than 5 mins per NOAA Wind Chill Chart.
2. Visibility: If visibility less than 100ft School is canceled or delayed.
3. Road Condition: Drive roads unsafe conditions, extremely icy areas, large snow drifts. Communicate with Public works to determine if snow plowing will occur.
4. Communication with Public Work: If the service area impacted is greater than 25% of student population impassable either cancel or delay. If it's less than 25 % of student population, then the school is delayed.
We will delay if Public work advise us to do so.
Procedure
I. Plant manager and Transportation Supervisor or designee completes inspection of roads by 6am. Calls to coordinate any plowing with NSB Public Works department, using the local contact person.
2. Transportation Supervisor Calls Executive Director of Operations who reports road conditions to the Superintendent and or designee.
3. The Superintendent through Executive Director of Operations confirms with Principal in village schools, and Superintendent and Executive Director of Operations through Transportation Department in Utqiagvik shall decide when school is to be canceled, have a delayed start. Final decision will be made by the Supt at 6:30am and the principal will be informed for announcements to be made.
4. Emergency school closures will be announced by Executive Director of Operations to the principal and transportation office The NSBSD website, School Messenger, the local Radio (KBRW or KOTZ), and VHF radio where possible will be used for announcements by the school site. In most cases, the announcement will be made by 6:30 am.
These procedures and the school closure form are under the administrative regulations AR 6111, School Closure Procedures, in the NSBSD Policy Manual. You can access the NSBSD Policy Manual under the district’s webpage: https://boardpolicyonline.com/?b=north_slope
Documents: e-6111 adopted May 17.pdf