Power and/or Water Outage

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Hopefully everyone is familiar with the procedures for a snow day or late start day, but we need to also prepare for a power outage or water outage.  I understand the likelihood of us being without power is far greater than to be without water, but there is always the possibility;  please plan on the same protocol for either.

While circumstances may vary between the two ends of the district (Fall River and Burney), basically, if there is no power to start school at either end of the district, we will revert to our Late Start procedures (found on the district web page).  Everything will be “backed up” roughly two hours.  An initial call will be sent shortly after 6:00 A.M. announcing a Late Start school day.  If there is no subsequent call in the next two hours, plan on the Late Start schedule—school will begin around 10:00 A.M.  If school is being completely canceled, you will receive a second phone call before 8:00 A.M. announcing this.  District employees and students will be subject to “make up” this day, just as if it was a Snow Day.  Please be reminded that decisions will be based on the school’s location, not necessarily  conditions at your home. 

 

If we lose power once everyone is at school, site administrators will call PG & E to determine the length of the outage.  If the power is going to be out for some time, two scenarios exist…if we lose powerbefore the first serving of lunch, students will be sent home at a time when busses can arrive and we can insure our younger student’s parents have adequate notification for their student’s home supervision (1-2 hours); if we lose power after lunch is served, students will remain at school for the remainder of the regular day and busses will run their normal routes.  We will have to work around foreseeable problems of not having computers, smartboards, and, in “interior” classrooms on our sites, no visibility, but our top priority, as always, is our student’s safety.  Adjustments can be made.

 

And finally, what if students are in school and the power goes out at one end of the district but not the other?  Since elementary and junior-senior high schools bus routes are tied together, if, for example, power is lost at Fall River High School but not Fall River Elementary, whatever decision is made at FRHS would apply to FRE.  We do not have resources to run two separate bus routes.  In this same scenario, if there is power in Burney, students would remain in our Burney schools, keeping to their normal schedules.

 

As with any precautionary measures, different circumstances may warrant different decisions.  We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

 

Keep dry, stay warm, and be safe!

Sincerely,

Greg Hawkins
Superintendent