Snow announcement primer - Henderson County Public Schools

SNOW/EMERGENCYANNOUNCEMENTPRIMERThe following is intended to assist you in interpreting snow announcements.WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools are closed - It is an annual leave day.”THEN...• Ten month employees do not report to work. An annual leave day from the school calendar will be usedfor this day.• Eleven and twelve month employees, principals, assistant principals, school office staff, central officestaff, transportation staff, and maintenance staff may work.• If all annual leave days built into the system’s calendar have been exhausted, this day will be made up atthe end of the school year at a date to be announced. *WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools are closed - It is an optional teacher workday.”THEN...• Teachers report to work, or they may opt to use accrued annual leave.**• Teachers without accrued annual leave report to work.• An employee who cannot make it to work because of “hazardous travel conditions” should immediatelycontact his supervisor/principal. This day must be made up at a time agreed upon by the employeeand supervisor. (Ref. GS 115c-316)WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools are closed - It is a teacher workday.” (or) “It is a required teacher workday.”THEN...• Teachers report to work and may not opt to use accrued annual leave. (The term “workday” withoutthe designation “optional” will mean it is a “required teacher workday.” We may not be able to use theterm “required” in the media.)• Employees who normally work on teacher workdays are expected to report to work.• An employee who cannot make it to work because of “hazardous travel conditions” should immediatelycontact his supervisor/principal. This day must be made up at a time agreed upon by the employeeand supervisor. (Ref.GS 115c-316)WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools are closed for all employees.” (or) “Emergency Day - Employees are not to reportto work.”THEN...• This announcement means that you are not to report work.• Some categories of employees may be required to work on these days by their immediate supervisor.Examples: The Payroll department may have to work in order to meet payroll deadline or maintenanceemployees may have to work in order to deal with the emergency. Employees who do work will not berequired to work a make-up day or will be paid overtime as approved by the Superintendent.*Accrued leave is leave earned in excess of 10 leave days per year that has not been used. Beginning employees usually do not have accruedleave. It is your responsibility to know how many days you have.** If all annual leave days are exhausted and it is announced that schools are closed for an annual leave day, employees should react as if it werean annual leave day. Ten month employees will stay home, but will be required to make the day up at a date to be announced. Other employees maywork or take an annual leave day to be charged to them.

WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools will open on a two-hour delay.”THEN...• A two-hour delay is just that—schools will open two hours after the regular opening time forstudents. Principals are encouraged to develop contingency plans to supervise students who arriveearly. A two-hour delay is for students only, staff should report at regular time. However, if anemployee believes conditions are too hazardous for safe travel, the employee should contact theirsupervisor to discuss the matter.WHEN YOU HEAR......“Schools will be dismissed at (a specified time).”THEN...• Closings that occur after the school day has begun are difficult to plan. We will usually announcethe dismissal in terms of a specific time such as: “The Henderson County Public Schools will bedismissed at 10:30 a.m.” In this case, principals must arrange the dismissal relative to theirspecific situation.If you are uncertain about what to do or what an announcement means, please check with your immediate supervisor. It is yourresponsibility to keep your supervisor informed. In most cases, the school system will utilize the AlertNow® notification systemto alert parents and staff regarding emergency announcements. Please make sure you have provided the accurate contactnumbers to your school's site to ensure that you will be contacted. You should also cross-reference media reports. It iscommon for stations to mix up announcements or to make erroneous ones.NOTE:Each radio and T.V. station has it’s own policy, and we are limited as to what we can say in detail. We will attempt to makemorning decisions no later than 6:00 a.m.; however, there is no guarantee.RadioWHKP-AM 1450 WMYI-FM 102.5WISE-AM 1300 WESC-FM 92.5WWNC-AM 570 WSSL-FM 100.0WGBL-AM 1440 WMIT-FM 106.9WTZQ-AM 1600 WOXL-FM 96.5WNCW-FM 88.7 WCQS-FM 88.1TelevisionWLOS-13WSPS-7WYFF-4FOX-21Internet HCPS Web site athttp://www.hendersoncountypublicschoolsnc.org/HCPS Message Center at (828) 697-47331/11/12sw