operations
Inclement Weather Procedure
Responsibility for determining the general policies of the school
system is entrusted to a governing board, hereafter designated as
the Board of Education. The Board functions only
when in official session; at other times its members have no authority
in school matters, except as specifically authorized by the Board.
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Administrative
Rules and Regulations
It is important that our schools operate on a regular schedule, but it is more important that our children's safety be considered at all times when decisions must be made about closing school or delaying the starting of the school day.
In order to keep everyone informed and to cause as little inconvenience
as possible, the following procedures will apply when bad weather
affects the regular schedule.
- If the weather situation is known to be extremely bad and worsening,
the closing of school for the next day will be announced over
evening news reports.
- If the full weather situation is not known until early in the
morning of the school day, a decision about the status of the
school day will be made prior to 6:00 a.m. The local radio stations
will begin to make the announcement concerning the school day
as soon after 6:00 a.m. as possible.
- The announcements to be made under the conditions listed above
will be: to open schools on the regular schedule; to close schools
for the day; or to delay the opening of schools for an hour or
more. When the opening of school must be delayed, the daily schedule
will be shortened according to the length of the delay; normally
one (1) hour. The end of the school day will not be affected and
regular dismissal times will be followed.
- There should be few, if any, instances where weather would worsen
enough during the school day to cause an early dismissal. Should
that situation develop, every effort will be made to make public
announcements prior to early dismissal.
- There may also be instances of the schools being open for the
day, but not all school buses will be able to make their full
routes. Some buses may not be able to operate at all due to road
conditions in a particular area. When possible, the routes and
buses affected will be announced.
- New Mexico schools are required by state law to be open for
180 days during the school year. If the schools must be closed
for any reason, other than for approved holidays and special programs,
the time must be made up. For this reason, it is important that
the schools be open unless the weather situation definitely prohibits
it.
- The decision concerning the status of the opening, delaying
or closing of school rests with the superintendent. However, if
schools are open and the parent or guardian does not want his/her
children exposed to the weather or road conditions, or if a family
hardship exists, the absence will not count and no penalty will
be imposed. This will also be true when buses are unable to operate
or to make the full route.
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