Weather & Emergency Alerts
In the event of an emergency,
this Web page will provide parents and the community with directions,
information and updates related to the status of events. Information
will also be shared with local news organizations radio and
television stations, and posted on District Cable
Channel 21.
ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools now has the ability to inform all student families and staff members about emergency school closings or delays by phone within a 15–20 minute time period. Once a decision has been made by the Superintendent, a phone message will be sent out via Connect-ED to all student families and district staff with specific information.
School closing announcements and other emergency school-related instructions will also be broadcast on
radio and TV. District wide school closure will be broadcast as "Osseo District 279." The radio and TV stations we notify are:
Cold Weather Procedures
Extremely cold weather can be very dangerous. Parents and guardians should be certain that their children are appropriately clothed with mittens, hats, coats, etc.; and instructed and prepared for emergencies, particularly weather emergencies.
Minnesotans should be accustomed to many days of heavy snow and freezing temperatures during the winter months. ISD 279 will conduct school in the normal manner, if there is a reasonable expectation that 85% or more of the children will be in attendance. If the wind chill, according to the National Weather Service, is 35 degrees below zero or colder at 5:30 a.m. and predicted to remain that low or become worse, school may be cancelled. In most cases, however, the combined effects of snow, ice and wind are necessary to cause school interruptions.
Elementary school students are expected to go outdoors for recess, unless the wind chill factor falls below –5°F. During the winter months, parents often request that their children remain in the classroom during non-recess. Such requests are difficult to honor; because, by law, duty-free periods are provided for instructors at this time, and the rooms are not under teacher supervision. We have found that a short period of outdoor exercise generally refreshes the youngster and gives him/her the opportunity to stretch and exercise muscles. Students arrive back in the classroom better prepared to exert maximum effort.
Emergency Closings, Delayed Starts and Early Release
When possible, decisions to close or delay the start of school will be made by 5:30 a.m. School delays, due to weather conditions, will only be considered under unusual circumstances. A one-hour delayed start means that your bus pick-up and school starting times will be one hour later than usual. Dismissal will be at the normal time.
Listen to the radio and television news, or check the district Web site at www.district279.org during times of severe weather. If you disagree with a decision to hold school on a day when you believe the weather is hazardous, you are encouraged to keep your child home. The absence will be an excused absence.
When a storm occurs or continues throughout the night, district personnel survey conditions by driving critical roads on the east and west sides of the district and monitor radio weather reports. If possible, they also consult with Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove police departments, and snow removal officials. While storms with high winds and snowfall of ten-or-more inches may cause schools to be cancelled or dismissed early, most heavy snows or cold weather will not result in school closure.
ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools will do everything possible to avoid early dismissal once school is in session, to avoid sending children to locked homes. If a storm occurs or worsens during a school day, the same procedures described above will be followed, and a decision to close will be made by 11:00 a.m. If a tornado warning or severe weather is imminent, buses will not be loaded and students will not be dismissed. School staff may serve lunch, if a midday dismissal is decided. Schools would be dismissed in the usual order: first – senior high; second – junior high; and third – elementary. This order will minimize disruption caused by altering schedules and older siblings will be the first to arrive home to await younger brothers and sisters.
When ISD 279 schools close, generally everything closes, including all of the extracurricular activities; and all Community Education activities, including youth and adult classes, Kidstop, 4 Star Express, Early Childhood Family Education, and all non-district events scheduled through the Community Education Department.
Emergency Communications
In the event of an emergency that results in school closings, delay in the start of school, or early dismissal, instructions will be phoned to parents through the Connect-ED automated calling system; information will be broadcast on local television and radio stations; and posted on the district’s Web site, www.district279.org. School closing announcements and other emergency information will be broadcast on the following radio and television stations as “Osseo District 279”:
Radio
WCCO: 830 AM
Television
WCCO: Channel 4
KSTP: Channel 5
KMSP Fox: Channel 9
KARE: Channel 11
NW Community Cable: Channel 12
WFTC: Channel 29
Unless it is absolutely necessary, please do not call the school with questions during an emergency. Our telephone lines must remain open for emergency communications. In you need further assistance, you may call the main district telephone number: 763-391-7000.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency preparedness is vital to the protection of our students, staff and visitors. ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools has developed a comprehensive emergency plan with the help of local law enforcement, emergency management, and public health officials. Each school has customized the plan for its building. Fire drills, tornado drills, and lockdown exercises are held in all schools.
The district’s emergency plan is based on an “all-hazard” approach that incorporates five universal response actions. Universal response actions are clear, standardized directives that can be implemented quickly in a variety of emergency situations. When an emergency happens, the school principal or district administrator will quickly implement one of the following response actions:
- Evacuation: All students and staff will exit the building. If the school grounds are not safe, students may be relocated to another site.
- Reverse Evacuation: All students and staff will move inside the building. Exterior doors and windows will be locked and public access to the school will be temporarily suspended.
- Severe Weather Shelter: All students and staff will be moved to designated shelter areas within the building. If severe weather strikes during dismissal, buses may be delayed.
- Shelter-in-Place: All students and staff will move inside the building. Windows will be closed and ventilation systems will be temporarily disabled to keep out contaminants.
- Lockdown: All students and staff will secure their areas by locking doors and windows. Public access to the school will be temporarily suspended.
In the event of an emergency, we may need to contact you. It is extremely important to make sure that your emergency contact information at your school is current. This includes daytime phone numbers for parents and names of individuals who are authorized to pick up your children, if they must be released early. Children will only be released to their parents or individuals authorized on the student’s emergency card.
It is not possible to outline all of the potential crisis events that could cause dismissal or disruption of the school day. Even though most of these events rarely occur, parents can be assured that the district has worked closely with its emergency partners, including police, fire and medical, to be prepared. All of our plans are focused on protecting the health and safety of our students.
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