October 12, 2018—With the winter weather season on the horizon, Amarillo ISD offers a reminder about weather-related school closing procedures.
When the weather is of particular concern, District leaders remain in close communication with the National Weather Service to better understand the implications of the weather and decide the best course of action for the school community.
“Our first priority is the safety of our community. A significant number of our students rely on coming to school for a safe, warm place where they will be fed and we must weigh those considerations when making these decisions,” said Interim Superintendent Doug Loomis. “However, when we make a determination we believe to be in the best interest of the community and decide to hold school if a parent believes they need to keep their child home because it is safer, we will certainly honor their decision.”
On days when our community wakes up to snowfall, District leaders drive the streets of Amarillo at the earliest hours to assess road and campus conditions. Maintenance and custodial staff at each campus begin to prepare the main entrance and pedestrian walkways as early as the evening before the school day in question, and then move to prepare other areas for the arrival of students and faculty. These staff members also ensure schools are properly heated and safe for a day of classes.
Additionally, District leaders communicate with other city-wide groups to anticipate road conditions and visibility and determine a course of action, from something as simple as campus custodians brushing off snow and putting down ice melt, to as many as 400 people working in shifts for days at a time.
During times of inclement weather, decisions about closing school are communicated directly to parents by the school district, to local media and posted to AISD’s website at www.amaisd.org.
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