Severe Weather Policy
COLD WEATHER & “RED RECESS”
“Red Recess” – As ALL students are to go outside for recess and lunch break, it is essential that students dress appropriately for the weather and bring jackets, toques, scarves, and mitts as necessary. When the temperature dips to –30C with the wind-chill, a “red recess” is announced and children are not permitted to play outside.
“Yellow Recess” – For temperatures of -25 to -29C we will continue to have lunch recess at 12:35; however, we will have students get dressed and go outside for a shortened time. Students must be adequately dressed. We will bring students in after ten minutes where they can play in their classrooms for the remainder of the lunch recess. We believe the lunch break will not be so long for the students as the time taken to get dressed and undressed will provide for some good body break and transition time. Students who go home for lunch and return to find that a “red recess” has been announced will be required to wait quietly inside the lobby. These students will not be permitted to play outside nor return to their classrooms until 1:00pm.
URBAN BUSING
Bus students in the City of Martensville will not receive a phone call from the bus driver to announce bus cancellations due to extreme weather conditions. All bus cancellations are prominently posted on the Prairie Spirit website (www.spiritsd.ca) by 7am each school day. Parents can also listen to FM radio stations The Bull 92.9 and C95 and AM stations News Talk 650 CKOM and 600 CJWW for announcements of cancellations.
Buses in Prairie Spirit School Division will not run if the combined temperature and wind chill factors result in a reading of -40 degrees or below at 6am (as reported by Environment Canada at www.weatheroffice.gc.ca). In stormy conditions, bus drivers will use their discretion to determine whether or not to run. Buses are not to operate if weather conditions such as freezing rain, dense fog, heavy rain, or severe dust storms impair visibility or otherwise cause dangerous travel conditions. Bus drivers are to decide whether or not to run by no later than thirty minutes before the first scheduled morning pick up and by no later than one hour prior to the scheduled afternoon dismissal. Buses that do not run at the regular time in the morning due to weather conditions are not to run at all on that same day.
Even if the buses are not running, parents may transport their children to school. School is closed to students only for reasons such as health and safety.
The complete Severe Weather policy (AP 805) can be found under Administrative Policies and Procedures at http://www.spiritsd.ca/schoolboard/policies.asp.