Please note that when communicating to parents regarding an emergency or a winter closing, parents will receive information in all of the ways that they put into PowerSchool.

In the event of an emergency, the first decision is whether the students may remain at the school. If an evacuation is required, the students will be moved either to our PE field or to Field Park School. Otherwise, students will either be in the classrooms or the gym, depending on the nature of the emergency.

The principal or designee will send a message to all after there has been sufficient time to assess the situation and communicate accurate information.

If the nature of the emergency requires students to be picked up from school or the church, only the parent/guardian of a child may pick him/her up. Staff members may accept verbal approval over a phone from a parent for their child to be picked up by another parent; please remember that depending on the situation, staff members may need to address other tasks first.

When parents or approved designees arrive to pick up their child, they will be asked to wait until their child is brought to them. This procedure prevents confusion and allows staff members to document that the child was picked up.

In general, during an emergency our priority is to ensure the safety of the students and then to contact parents in the event that they need to pick up their child. Please contact me if you have any questions at lbroadnax@d101.org or 708-485-5048.

Laura Broadnax, Principal

Several important factors are taken into consideration when the cancellation of school (or delaying the start of a school day) is in question. The first of these factors is, of course, travel safety due to ice and snow. The factors we look at with regards to ice/snow are:

• The safety of students who require bus or automobile transportation to/from school

• The safety of students whose primary transportation mode is to walk to school

• The ability of teachers and staff who commute via automobile to do so in a safe manner, and

• The ability of our maintenance/custodial staffs to sufficiently clear sidewalks and parking lots

The second major issue of consideration during inclement weather is wind chill. Whether waiting for a school bus or walking to/from school, wind chill is always a major factor in the closing/delay of school. District 101 has made it a practice to give strong consideration for closing school when wind chill temperatures approach 25 degrees below zero. We will continue this practice again this school year.

During mornings of snow, ice or extreme cold, the Lyons Township superintendents are in touch with each other and our bus companies to determine whether or not Township schools should be closed. It is usually a decision that is made jointly among the superintendents, and these messages are communicated to the public, generally before 6:45 am. Announcements of closings/delays are made to local television and radio stations via our participation in the Emergency Closing Center. Information is forwarded to all local television stations and many local radio stations, including WBBM AM 780 and WGN AM 720. Please remember to look for Cook County District 101 (not Batavia District 101 in Kane County) when using these media sources. Winter Weather Notices will appear on the front page of our district website. Finally, each school’s PTO/PTA will initiate a calling tree where parents notify one another - likely between the hours of 7:00-7:45 am.

Please know that whether or not school is open, you as a parent are the one who will finally decide whether or not your child should go to school. If you feel that your child’s journey to school is not safe, please feel comfortable in exercising your prerogative to allow your child to stay home. Absences attributed to inclement weather will be viewed as excused absences.