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Inclement Weather Reminders & Tips for Certificated Staff from the Operations Division

Snow and Ice Removal

  • Allow maintenance & custodial staff ample time to clear snow from parking lots & walkways
  • The more time they have to work on removing snow and salting, the safer the premises will be for everyone.
  • Safety is a priority and our snow teams are working hard to ensure the buildings are ready to operate as smoothly as possible. Staff should be cautious of their surroundings.

School Closures

  • If schools and offices are closed please do not come to the building to work. Our snow teams are working hard to remove the snow and make our premises as safe as possible for the re-opening of the building.
  • Building Security is a top priority. When staff enter the building during closures, custodians have to check all the places staff may have been to ensure the building is fully secure.
  • Be mindful that custodians are working hard to clear the snow and make the building safe for staff and students to enter and exit. Staff presence in a closed building takes time away from snow removal and can potentially extend their scheduled work day.

Two Hour Delays

  • Be aware that on a 2 hour delay, the snow removal teams will be working to ensure safety to all doorways and parking lots but if staff arrive early it will interfere with the steps taken by teams to clear and salt the pavements.
  • Arriving early will also put staff in danger because the salt needs time to work and it also puts your vehicle in the way of salt/plow trucks.
  • Please only use treated areas to enter and exit the buildings for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
  • Breakfast is not normally served on 2 Hour Delayed Opening unless the principal wants to offer it.

Early Dismissal due to Inclement Weather

    • Decision to send students home early will be communicated to the building administration as soon as possible
    • Due to the many moving parts (recalling of bus drivers, changing of lunch and after school feeding plans) communication of these events can seem confusing. AlertNows, Social Media and Website posts notifying families will be handled by the PIO and Media Specialist
    • Principals will notify staff of their leave time in the event of early dismissals
    • Information you may not know about timing of an early dismissal: If lunch is started, all students need to be served prior to an early dismissal.

General Tips

  • Wear Appropriate Footwear
  • Building temperatures tend to be cooler in the winter, keep an extra sweater in your room
  • Sign up for District Text Alerts – https://www.remind.com/join/staffcsd  
  • View Colonial Website (www.colonialschooldistrict.org) or FB for school closing/late openings or radio stations WDEL or WSTW
  • Plan ahead for emergency/back up child care arrangements in cases of delayed openings and early dismissals.
  • Leave extra time to clean off your car in the morning and allow extra time for traveling to work

Word of caution: There is a William Penn as well as a Colonial School District in PA that are frequently mentioned on the Philly news stations when schools are closed or have delayed openings.