INCLEMENT WEATHER SAFE ARRIVAL ATTENDANCE
As the snowy weather is upon us, we would like to bring to your attention an important update to the Safe Arrival process on Inclement Weather Days when buses are cancelled.
Effective this year, all students that are marked absent by their homeroom teacher on the morning where buses are cancelled will receive a phone call from Safe Arrival even if they are a bused student (unless they were called in absent previously due to illness or vacation, etc.).
PLEASE NOTE that the message is different than the usual Safe Arrival message. If you receive a safe arrival call from the system that your student is not at school on an inclement weather day, you only need to call back if your student SHOULD be at school. This is to ensure students that may be walking to school or are being driven in by someone arrive safely.
If you know your student left your home and was walking to school on an inclement weather day, this call will alert you to the fact that they still have not arrived at school. It is always a family decision whether or not it is safe for their student to leave for school under severe weather conditions. This new system will allow us to keep all our students safe during these weather issues.
Please do not call to report your student is at home on inclement weather days. The message sent out confirms that we expect your student is at home and only to call us if they should be at school.
All regular advanced reported attendances for that day (such as vacations, appointments, etc.) will remain the same.
Please remember we are in the SOUTH ZONE for weather cancellations. All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC)’s bus information website at www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. When buses are cancelled, schools remain open for student learning, unless otherwise noted.
The Consortium and bus operators try to make the decision to cancel school buses before 6 a.m. and make every effort to post announcements before 7 a.m. Inclement weather cancellations are effective for the whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of the day. You can follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus for bus cancellations and other information. You can also subscribe to receive bus delay notifications here: scstc.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx.
Also, just a reminder that Hot Lunch is always canceled on Inclement Weather Days. Please ensure your students have snacks, lunches and reusable water bottles if they come to school.