Whenever inclement weather is forecast, WJCC Public Schools staff members take a number of steps to prepare for and then respond to weather events that might impact our schools. While most of this work occurs for bigger storms – snow, hurricane, flooding, etc. – even when the forecast is rain or extremely hot or cold temperatures, staff keeps an eye on the skies.
WJCC works closely with county and city emergency departments, and we monitor weather reports from the National Weather Service in Wakefield. Once a storm is imminent, the following actions are taken:
- Activate Road Assessment Teams
- Prepare buildings and grounds
- Open emergency lines of communication
As soon as possible after a storm hits, WJCC Road Assessment Teams drive primary and secondary roads throughout the county and city, often take photos, and report back to operations department leaders. Division staff members also inspect schools, both inside and out, and report those findings to the operations department.
Staff members review weather forecasts for the coming days – especially when snow or ice is on the roads. They also communicate with city and county officials, local emergency responders (fire and police), VDOT and surrounding school divisions.
Once all of the reports are in, a recommendation is made regarding school for the next day, and a decision is made by the superintendent. Closure, delay and early release decisions are communicated via the division website, our telephone notification system, Facebook, Twitter, WJCC TV-47, email and local media outlets.
Timing of this decision is based on when the inclement weather hits and the speed of either snow/ice melt or plowing. Often, a storm will hit overnight, and a decision cannot be made until the morning. When this occurs, our goal is to make delay or closure announcements before 6 a.m.
Recently, however, the remnants of storms have resulted in multiple-day closures. When this occurs, division staff members work through each day to assess roads, plow school lots, and clear sidewalks and steps. Closing school is a significant decision that impacts students, staff and families, and we strive to make decisions in a timely manner based on facts that are changing hourly – or faster.
All closure, delay or early release decisions are made with one primary thought in mind: student and staff safety. We work very hard to make the right calls, but weather is difficult to accurately predict and is ever-changing. Sometimes the forecast weather doesn’t come in, and sometimes a minor storm turns into a major storm.
Please know that we want our students and staff in school just as much as our families do, and we will continue to do our best to respond to future weather events in a conscientious and timely manner.
