The
following information is for reference in the event that the schools are
closed/delayed/released early due to inclement weather or other
emergencies. IF NO ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE, SCHOOLS AND BUSES WILL BE
OPERATING ON REGULAR SCHEDULES. The district will make every attempt to
reach a decision on school closures or delays by 6:00am. When weather
or other emergency conditions dictate the closure or delayed start of
our schools, information will be provided via our phone notification
system and Seattle TV (KOMO, KING, KIRO and KCPQ) and local radio
stations KXXO (MIXX 96.1FM), KGY (1240AM or 96.9FM), KITI (1420AM 95.3 or
95.1FM), (KMAS 1030 AM or103.3) and KELA (1470AM or KMNT 104.3FM).
PLEASE TUNE YOUR RADIO/TV TO ONE OF THE ABOVE STATIONS AND LISTEN UNTIL YOU HEAR THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Please do not telephone radio or television stations for this information.
School Closure:
When a school is closed all day, any school activities and community
events scheduled on that school campus are generally cancelled.
Two-hour delay:
All schools will open two hours late. Although buses will start their
runs two hours later than usual, road conditions may cause delays.
Limited transportation will be announced if road conditions cause
restrictions in designated areas. If school is open, but you think it
would be a danger or hardship for your child to go, school officials
will accept your judgment. (It will be treated as an excused absence.)
- Breakfast: If school is delayed two hours or more, breakfast will be cancelled for that day.
- Special Education Pre-School: If school is delayed two hours or more, special education pre-school classes will be cancelled.
- New Market Skills Center: No transportation will be provided.
Snow Routes:
Weather conditions make it necessary to modify bus routes, and when
that occurs, radio and TV stations will be asked to announce the use of
“snow routes” or “emergency routes.”
Early Release:
The District will make every effort to operate normally, despite the
weather. On rare occasions, however, weather conditions may require
schools to be closed early. In that event, the normal busing sequence
will be followed, that is, taking the RHS and RMS students home first,
followed by RPS and GMES students approximately 1 to 2 hours later.
Information about early school closures will be provided via our phone
notification system and the TV and radio stations listed above.
Parents/guardians should plan for adequate home supervision in the event
that unscheduled early dismissal of students is necessary. Parents
are also asked to remind students to be especially careful when walking
or waiting for a bus during bad weather.
FlashAlert.net Notification Service: The
Rochester School District has subscribed to an Internet-based system
for delivering changes in schedule (such as delays or closures) to the
news media.
Message
delivery is being extended directly to the public through a system
called FlashAlert. You are now able to self-register and manage up to
three home or office email and/or cell phones and receive emergency
information just minutes after the school district posts it, at no cost
to you.
- Go to www.FlashAlert.net
- On the top menu bar, select “Manage Your Messages” http://www.flashalert.net/
- You may either update your current account, or click on “Create New Account: Click here”
- Enter your primary email address, and create a password
- Select the region of Seattle/Western Wash.
- Type Rochester in the search box and click search.
- Click on the search result Rochester SD.
- Type the primary email address for this account and click subscribe.
- Re-enter the address and password, then Create your Account.
- Manage Your Email/Cell Messages:
- Check the
primary email address again.If you want push notifications on your cell
phone you will need to download the app from Google Play or the iTunes
App Store (search for Flash Alert Messenger). Directions for this part
are in the “My Linked Phones Apps” then click on “Learn more about the Messenger App here.”
It is
everyone’s hope that weather conditions will not disrupt transportation
and schools. Our most critical concern, however, is the safety and
welfare of our students.