EMERGENCY BUS ROUTE INFORMATION
We understand that our decision to open or close schools during bad weather has a big effect on families. We also understand that our students are better served – both academically and socially – by being in school. But, as always, our top priority is the safety of our students.
HOW DO WE MAKE OUR DECISION?
Please understand that we make the decision to open or close the schools in bad weather based on a careful analysis of all relevant factors, such as:
Information on road conditions from transportation staff and from local highway commissioners. We must give careful consideration to the most dangerous roads in the district. Even if your street looks clear, travel elsewhere in the district may be dangerous.
Amount of snow and ice accumulated.
Whether precipitation is continuing.
Building conditions (such as whether we have electricity and heat).
Parking lot conditions. Administrators talk to maintenance and custodial staff members who are responsible for clearing and treating school parking lots and sidewalks.
Temperature and wind chill. Please remember that some of our students walk to school and some must wait outside for the bus.
Weather precautions. We prefer not making our decision based on weather predictions, which are not always accurate. But sometimes this is unavoidable.
What other school districts are doing. We also share information with other local districts and check whether they are opening or closing.
WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
The Superintendent of Schools is responsible for the final decision, based on the above factors and recommendations from the transportation director and the principal.
HOW IS THE PUBLIC NOTIFIED?
The radio or television stations listed on the reverse of this letter are provided with up-to-date closing information, Tune to those stations for current conditions. Do not call the school unless it is an emergency.
WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE?
We make every attempt to make a decision by 6:00 AM or earlier so we can notify our bus drivers and the local media. If we wait longer to announce a closing, some parents will have already left for work, leaving their children unsupervised.
WILL WE CLOSE SCHOOL IF CONDITIONS WORSEN?
Keep in mind that, even if weather conditions worsen, we cannot reverse our decision in the morning without endangering students. Once we make the decision to open the schools, many parents rely on it and leave for work. If we then send students right back home, many will return to unsupervised bus stops and empty houses. If conditions get worse during the school day, we may need to have an early dismissal, but we will provide adequate notice to the local media listed on the other side of this letter. I encourage you to monitor those stations for school closings information.
Although my staff and I do our absolute best in this process, we know that often no perfect decision exists. If you do not feel as though it is safe for your child(ren) to attend school, use your best judgment on whether he/she should attend. Also, discourage teenagers from driving in bad conditions and encourage them to ride the school bus if weather conditions worsen.
We hope this explanation helps everyone understand the process that we use to make the best and safest possible decision for all in our district.
SHILOH SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 EMERGENCY BUS ROUTE INFORMATION
The Board of Education, Administration, and Transportation Department have developed the following plan for school cancellation and/or snow routes. Snow routes will be used as a last resort if snow, ice, or mud prevents the buses from using country roads.
Keeping parents informed is a top priority of the District. We offer the Blackboard Connect 5Ò Notification Service. Blackboard Connect 5Ò allows us to notify you in the event of an early dismissal, school closing, or major emergency. If you want to receive Blackboard Connect 5Ò notification in the event of a weather related delayed opening, early dismissal, school closing, or other emergency, fill out an Blackboard Connect 5ÒParticipation Request Form and return it to your child’s teacher or any school office. This form is available in each school office.
If the district is canceling school or if buses are operating on snow routes, the information will be provided to the following radio and television stations:
WCIA/WCIX Channels 3/49
WTHI Channel 10
Illini Radio Group
WICD Channel 15
WTWO Channels 2/8
Champaign-Urbana Radio Group
WAND TV Channel 17
WPRS/WACF 98.5
Please discuss this information with your child and share this information with your child’s emergency contacts.
Snow Routes: Pickup for out-of-town (country) students will be:
Town | Redmon | Brocton | Metcalf | Hume | Murdock | Newman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AM Bus will LEAVE at | 7:25 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:40 AM |
PM Bus will Drop Off at | 3:45 PM | 3:40 PM | 3:30 PM | 3:25 PM | 3:50 PM | 3:30 PM |
Location | Post Office | Brocton Store | Community Center | Grafton Memorial Park | Corner of Third & Main | Newman Park |
NOTE: During adverse weather conditions, pick-ups may not be at the normally scheduled time. Buses will attempt to make all in-town stops.
Delayed Opening: If a delayed opening of one or two hours is announced, the following schedule for all pickups will apply:
One Hour Delay – School will begin at 9:05 and dismiss at the regular time.
Pick-ups will be one hour late. Example: 7:15 pick-up will be at 8:15 7:45 pick-up will be at 8:45
Two Hour Delay – School will begin at 10:05 and dismiss at the regular time.
Pick-ups will be two hours late. Example: 7:15 pick-up will be at 9:15 7:45 pick-up will be at 9:45
Please discuss this with your child and share this information with your child’s emergency contacts.
Special Note about FOG: Because some families in the district live on main highways, we are concerned about students crossing the highway during times of low visibility. The Transportation Department will contact those families individually to arrange precautions for pickup and drop-off on extremely foggy days.
Reference Shiloh CUSD #1 Policy 4:110 Transportation