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Inclement Weather Communication

Hurricane Debby Update - Aug. 5, 2024 12:45 PM

Tropical Storm Idalia Update - Aug. 31, 2023 2:00 PM

 

Inclement Weather orange & blue art

 

📌 Inclement Weather Communication

In the event of a weather-related or emergency closing or transition to remote learning, the District will use the following communication methods:

  • District Website
  • Email
  • Recorded phone call
  • Text notification
  • District social media posts - Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

📢 Planning for Bad Weather

When faced with adverse weather conditions, Orangeburg County School District has measures in place to potentially delay the beginning of school, close schools, or dismiss students early. Our decision-making process prioritizes several key considerations:

  • The safety of our students and staff,
  • The necessity for parents to plan accordingly,
  • The district's ability to maintain operational resources, including power and heating,
  • And the viability of safe transportation on district roads for our students.

Always trust that our top priority is the welfare of our school community.

📌 Making an Informed Decision

To ensure the most informed decisions during challenging weather conditions, Orangeburg County School District consults a variety of vital information sources. This includes:

  • Collaborating frequently with both county and regional emergency management groups,
  • Evaluating forecasts from the National Weather Service and local weather experts to understand expected weather patterns, such as the predicted timing and intensity of rain, sleet, or snow. This is crucial for the district and neighboring counties, especially considering many students, families, and staff who travel long distances.
  • Gathering firsthand road assessments from our transportation staff, who inspect the roads for safety.
  • Receiving timely feedback about the state of our school facilities from the district's maintenance & operations team.

While we have a dedicated team that collaborates to gather and analyze this information, the final decision rests with the Superintendent, ensuring the best interests of our community.

📢 School Closure

  • The school district is closed.
  • All activities are canceled unless otherwise communicated to participants.
  • Please monitor the district website, Facebook, Twitter, and the local news for updates regarding plans for the next school day. In the event it is necessary to continue a closure or implement a delayed start for the following day, you will receive a call and an email by early morning.

📌 Delayed School Start

A decision to delay the start of school affects a significant portion of our students district-wide. 

While the safety of our students and staff is paramount, we diligently gather comprehensive data before making a final call. Both our academic calendar and the state testing schedule have designated days for weather-related make-ups.

In the event of a delay, all school activities will be postponed by at least two hours. For instance, if your usual bus pickup is at 7:15 a.m., you should be prepared for a 9:15 a.m. pickup. If classes normally start at 8:00 a.m., aim to be at school by 10:00 a.m. The dismissal time remains unchanged.

All morning events and activities will be canceled.

📢 Early Dismissal

In the case of developing weather conditions, the District may call for an early dismissal of students. In this case, there will be no evening activities or classes. Families will be notified with further details as soon as any decision is made via District communication.