Superintendent Michael Thurmond met with the District’s Inclement Weather Advisory Team January 4 and 5, 2014 to review inclement weather preparation and protocol. Current weather forecasts indicate that a winter weather pattern is approaching the metro Atlanta area with severely cold temperatures and the possibility of freezing moisture.
District personnel will continue to monitor local weather forecasts and communicate with the National Weather Service as we approach the scheduled opening of classes on Tuesday, January 7. Principals and other school staff inspected all school buildings on Sunday, January 5, to ensure that water and heating systems are operational. In addition, the District will follow established Inclement Weather Protocol:
The Transportation Department will provide the following support:
• Schedule all transportation staff to report on Monday, January 6, to ensure that school buses are operational. Mechanics will be on standby to support this process.
• Check the condition of the roads for safe travel beginning at 3:00 a.m on January 6.
• Contact neighboring school districts and provide status updates to school administrators.
The Facilities Management Department will provide the following support:
• Monitor all building heating systems and associated equipment via our direct digital control (DDC) software program. This program allows our department to remotely monitor and control time schedules, setpoints, controllers, trend logs and alarms related to our systems.
• Deploy all available skill tradesmen (i.e. HVAC technicians, plumbers, electricians, grounds staff, etc.) to conduct on site assessments of key building systems and grounds in an effort to mitigate any identified concerns prior to the return of students and staff.
• Deploy pre-qualified contractors to assist with emergency heating and plumbing repairs as needed.
By 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday, January, 7, senior staff representing school leadership, transportation, food service and public safety, in consultation with the National Weather Service will report findings and recommendations to the Superintendent. No later than 5:30 a.m., the Superintendent will make a final decision to open schools as scheduled, delay the opening or cancel classes for the day. The decision will be communicated to members of the Board of Education, parents, the public and the local media by email, phone tree calls, the District website, PDS-TV24, District website, social media channels and the DCSD 1200 line.
