1. School Closings 1.1. The division superintendent or designee may order the closing, delay in opening or the early dismissal of any or all Fauquier County public schools in order to protect the safety and welfare of students, staff and patrons. Unless school board employees are notified that their work schedule is changed due to adverse weather or emergency conditions, all employees shall work according to the terms of their contract. During adverse weather or emergency conditions, however, employees will follow guidelines related to work schedules. LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, 22.1-70, 22.1-78, 22.1-136 Regulation Follows ACCOMPANYING REGULATION REGULATION 4-2.8(A) OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING
REGULATION 4-2.8(A) OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING 1. Generally 1.1. The purpose of these procedures is to establish a system for the emergency closing and delayed opening of Fauquier County Public Schools. 2. Types of Closing 2.1. All-Day Closing All schools and/or administrative offices will be closed for the day. Media contacts will be notified by 6:00 a.m. 2.1.1. Essential personnel will report as scheduled by his/her supervisor. 2.1.2. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, and non-school activities canceled. 2.1.3. Field trips canceled. 2.1.4. Local in-service programs and classes for teachers and adult education canceled. 2.1.5. Any exceptions will require approval of the superintendent or designee. 2.2. Delayed Opening All students and/or staff report to school at the time announced for the delay (i.e., two hours) and leave at their regular closing time. Media contacts will be notified by 6:00 a.m. 2.2.1. Essential personnel will report as scheduled by his/her supervisor. 2.2.2. School breakfast program canceled, with exceptions approved by each school s principal and school nutrition manager. 2.2.3. Field trips canceled, with exceptions approved by the superintendent or designee. 2.3. Early Closing Schools are dismissed prior to the scheduled time. Notification of the exact time of closing will be provided to the schools, parents, media and other essential parties. 2.3.1. Essential personnel will report as scheduled by his/her supervisor. 2.3.2. Lunch will be served in schools where it has been prepared and time for serving is available. 2.3.3. Field trips will be canceled unless already departed. Recall effort will be made by school principal or designee. 2.3.4. Local in-service programs, classes for teachers, and adult evening programs will be canceled. 2.3.5. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practice, after-school events and parks and recreation programs will be canceled for the rest of the day and evening. Any exception will require approval of the superintendent or designee. 2.4. Closing or Delay of a Single School or Limited Group of Schools The superintendent or designee must approve the closing or delay of an individual school or groups of schools impacted by an emergency event such as loss of electricity or water, or some other local emergency condition. 2.4.1. Make-up classes may be required for students if an individual school is closed all day.
2.4.2. In the event of an early school closing, it is the responsibility of the principal to develop a contingency plan to ensure students are returned safely to parents or guardians. 2.4.3. Principals shall make every effort to contact parents of students who do not have a child care plan. No elementary or middle school child should be sent home without confirmation of parental consent. 2.5. Special Situations Weather conditions may necessitate a modification to the closing procedures specified in the preceding paragraphs. 3. Closing Notification 3.1. Public Notification 3.1.1. The superintendent or designee will announce school closings or delayed openings using the school division s website, the automated phone notification system, the emergency phone recording, and media contacts as determined appropriate for each emergency event. 3.1.2. The public can use any of the following resources to obtain information: 3.2. Employee Notification 3.1.2.1. Radio and television stations as designated by the superintendent or designee 3.1.2.2. Fauquier County Public School s website at www.fcps1.org, School Closings 3.1.2.3. Fauquier County Public School s television cable channel 18 3.1.2.4. Weather emergency and special conditions phone recording at 422-7250 3.2.1. Employees can access the same notification venues listed in section 1.b to obtain closing information. 3.2.2. Employees shall also be notified via the school division s automated telephone notification system initiated by the superintendent or designee. Each school/office shall also maintain a phone tree as a contingency plan. 3.2.3. Bus drivers will be notified of closings using the automated telephone notification system, or by the transportation office as a contingency plan. 4. Assigned Responsibilities 4.1. Superintendent 4.1.1. Upon recommendation from the executive director for administration and planning or designee, makes closing/delayed opening decision. Only the superintendent or designee has the authority to make a closing/delayed opening decision. 4.2. Executive Director for Administration and Planning 4.2.1. Informs staff of their responsibilities for emergency closings and delayed openings as outlined in these procedures.
4.2.2. Receives a report from the transportation director prior to making a recommendation to superintendent concerning closing/delayed opening of schools. 4.2.3. Contacts the superintendent for a decision on closing/delayed opening. 4.2.4. Initiates notification process to inform employees, parents and guardians, media and other essential parties. 4.2.5. Coordinates arrangements with transportation, facilities, maintenance, school nutrition, and other parties as needed. 4.3. Transportation Director 4.3.1. Designates individuals to monitor road conditions when inclement weather events are predicted, and/or after they have occurred. 4.3.2. Reports findings of road conditions to the executive director of administration and planning as needed to assist in making the decision to open or close schools. In the absence of the executive director of administration and planning, reports findings to the superintendent or designee. 4.3.3. Contacts the Fauquier County Sheriff s Office and the Virginia Department of Transportation, and monitors the National Weather Service. 4.3.4. Contacts media sources once a decision is made to close schools or delay opening of schools. 4.3.5. Contacts bus drivers, as necessary. 4.3.6. Informs staff, drivers and aides of their responsibilities during emergencies. 4.4. Principals 4.4.1. Prepare plans in advance to implement as emergency events occur. 4.4.2. Inform parents, students, and staff of the procedures for emergency closings and delayed openings as outlined in these procedures. Elementary and middle school principals inform parents that they are responsible for arranging emergency child care and of the possibility that a delay in transportation services may occur due to inclement weather. 4.4.3. Ensure custodians are scheduled appropriately to maintain the facility, clear and treat sidewalks and entrances during inclement weather and other emergency events. 4.4.4. School principals or designees shall call the facilities director to report any pertinent conditions that may affect a school closing decision, including loss of heat, electricity or water. 4.5. Facilities Director 4.5.1. Contacts county maintenance department when a closing/delayed opening occurs. 4.5.2. Coordinates with the area building managers to monitor conditions and implement corrective actions at schools to ensure operations resume at the earliest possible time.
4.5.3. Routinely reports condition status to executive director of administration and planning. In the absence of the executive director of administration and planning, reports conditions to the superintendent or designee. 4.5.4. Informs staff and county personnel of their responsibilities for emergency closings and delayed openings as outlined in these procedures. 4.6. County General Services (per Unified Services Agreement) 4.6.1. Arranges for removal of snow and/or spreading of abrasives on school entrances and parking lots after storms to ensure operations resume at the earliest possible time. 4.6.2. Designates maintenance employees to check mechanical systems routinely during and after major storms. 4.6.3. Responds to other emergency conditions such as loss of electricity and water. 4.6.4. Coordinates with the facilities director during any emergency. 4.7. School Nutrition Director 4.7.1. Informs staff of their responsibilities for emergency closings and delayed openings as outlined in these procedures. 4.7.2. Coordinates with school nutrition managers and/or head custodians for the acceptance and storage of any foods that may be delivered when schools are closed. 4.7.3. Coordinates with the head custodians to contact school nutrition managers when decisions on food safety or food storage arise due to inclement weather or equipment malfunctions. 5. Essential Personnel 5.1. Includes those employees in positions with oversight or maintenance of school facilities, and/or oversight of critical operational support services. 5.2. Following emergency events such as severe weather, essential personnel will report to their place of duty as scheduled by the employee s supervisor to assist the school division in maintaining, or resuming, operations. 5.3. Essential personnel include the following: 5.3.1. Superintendent 5.3.2. Executive Director of Administration and Planning 5.3.3. Facilities Director 5.3.4. Area Building Managers 5.3.5. Transportation Director 5.3.6. School Nutrition Director 5.3.7. Principals
5.3.8. Assistant Principals 5.3.9. Athletic Directors 5.3.10. Custodians 5.3.11. Coordinator of School and Public Information 5.3.12. Computer Services Supervisor 5.3.13. Other personnel designated by the superintendent or designee, principals, and/or department heads as necessary to maintain or resume operations 6. Leave and Compensation 6.1. Emergency Leave 6.1.1. Defined as leave that occurs because an emergency condition exits, closing the school/office for a period of time during normal business hours; thereby preventing the non-essential employee who is scheduled to work from reporting to work. 6.1.2. When emergency closings or delays are announced, and offices are closed for the full work day, 6.1.2.1. Twelve-month employees scheduled to work on the day of the closure will be paid without taking leave. 6.1.2.2. Twelve-month employees scheduled to be on personal, annual, compensatory, or sick leave on the day of the closure will be charged for leave. 6.1.2.3. Less than twelve-month employees shall not be charged for leave on the day of the closure, but may be required to make up the day at a later time. 6.1.3. When emergency conditions delay the start of the day or end the day early, 6.2. Liberal Leave 6.1.3.1. Twelve-month employees who report to work for the shortened day will be paid for the full day. 6.1.3.2. Twelve-month employees scheduled to be on leave on the shortened day will be charged a full day without adjustment for the period of the closure. 6.1.3.3. Twelve-month employees with schedules that differ from the period of the closure will work as scheduled. 6.1.3.4. Less than twelve-month employees will work the shortened day without taking personal leave, but may be required to make up the time at a later date 6.2.1. During periods of normal operations, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. 6.2.2. During inclement weather or other emergency events, and when liberal leave is announced, a nonessential employee may take unscheduled leave if the employee determines it is unsafe to travel or report to work.
6.2.3. An employee who determines that he/she is unable to safely report to work during the period announced for liberal leave shall notify his/her supervisor of the intent to take liberal leave. 6.2.4. When an employee uses liberal leave, time lost 6.3. Essential Personnel 6.2.4.1. May be made up in the same work week if possible and if approved by the supervisor; or 6.2.4.2. Shall be charged to the employee s personal, annual, or compensatory leave balance. 6.3.1. Essential personnel may be requested to report to work during emergency closures to assist in returning schools to normal operations. 6.3.2. Exempt employees will be paid their regular rate of pay for the period of closure. Compensatory time or special pay is not earned. 6.3.3. Non-exempt employees will be paid at the regular rate of pay plus half the regular rate of pay for hours worked as essential personnel during the period of the emergency closure. In no case, will the rate of pay exceed time and one half the regular rate of pay. 7. Announcement for Types of Closing 6.3.3.1. If an employee is scheduled by the supervisor to work as essential personnel for a designated emergency, and the employee fails to report to work, the employee will be charged leave for the period of time other employees worked on the job to perform the essential duties (personal, annual, or compensatory). If the employee does not have available leave, the employee will not be paid for the time. 6.3.3.2. Time on the job as essential personnel during the period of closure counts towards the total workweek hours, and the employee will be paid for non-emergency work hours as specified under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act. 7.1. Schools and Administrative Offices Closed 7.1.1. Announcement will state: All Fauquier County Public Schools and Administrative Offices are closed today, (day of week, and date). 7.2. Schools Closed, Administrative Offices Open 7.2.1. Announcement will state: All Fauquier County Public Schools will be closed today (day of week, date). Liberal leave is in effect. 7.3. Delayed Opening of Schools and/or Administrative Offices 7.3.1. If schools and offices are delayed, announcement will state: All Fauquier County Public Schools and Administrative Offices will open # of hours late (day of week and date); 7.3.2. If only schools are delayed, announcement will state: All Fauquier County Public Schools will open # of hours late (day of week and date) Administrative offices will open on time.
7.4. Early Closing 7.4.1. Announcement will state: All Fauquier County secondary schools except Marshall Middle School will dismiss at (time) today (day of week and date); all elementary schools and Marshall Middle School will dismiss at (time) today. 7.4.2. Teachers and aides shall be dismissed as soon as supervisory responsibilities have been satisfied. 7.4.3. All other employees remain at work until the designated release time unless notified by the Superintendent or designee of an early release.