Winter Weather/Snow Day Procedures:
School Closing: If winter weather conditions are of such a nature that the overall safety of students would be greatly jeopardized and the operations of the school district would be significantly impaired, a decision to cancel school will be made by 6:00 a.m. on the morning of a school day.

If school is cancelled, a  phone message will be sent to all students' and employees' phone numbers on file. Local news media will also be notified. A Facebook message will be posted to the district’s Facebook page.  Tune to the following local radio or television station for notification of such closings:

• KOAM Channel 7-Pittsburg/Joplin
• KIKS-Iola

Please ensure all information is up to date in your child’s PowerSchool account in order to receive these messages.

Decisions to close schools are based on a number of variables including actual and projected snowfall, icing and wind-chill factors, ability of the bus fleet to transport students, and assessment of street and road conditions, including snow/ice treatment and removal. Power and heat to buildings is also a factor that is considered.

Early Dismissal: If a winter weather condition develops while school is in session, early dismissal of school may be required. If a decision is made during the school day, the different types of communication listed above would also be used to notify parents and employees.

Late Buses/Late Start: During times of severe weather, conditions may be of such a nature that buses may be running late. If such occurs, specific information will be relayed to local news media. Schools will notify parent/guardians.

Emergency Situations: On rare occasion, an emergency situation may arise that could force the closing or early dismissal of one or more schools. If such occurs, specific information will be relayed to local news media. Schools will notify parents/guardians.

SCHOOL CRISIS:
Families trust schools to keep their children safe during the day. The unfortunate reality is that the Humboldt Public Schools may be touched either directly or indirectly by a crisis of some kind at any time. Natural disasters such as floods, fire, or tornadoes can strike our community with little or no warning. Human made crises range in scope and intensity from incidents that directly or indirectly affect a single student to ones that impact the entire school and community. Humboldt children and youth can rely on and find great comfort in the adults who protect them at school. Thanks to the efforts of principals, teachers and other staff in Humboldt, our schools remain a safe haven for our students. Teachers and staff know how to help their students through a crisis and return them home safely. Being prepared and well trained contributes directly to the safety and security of your children and the school staff. Successful, safe and effective schools are also those with high levels of parent and caregiver involvement. You are vital to your student’s emotional well-being, academic progress and safety. The more you involve yourself in your student’s school life, the more aware of safety and security issues and solutions you will be.

School Crisis Response
Parents/Guardians Response to a Crisis at School:

1. Do not come to the school-You may not be able to get into the school. You may put yourself in harm’s way or you may interfere with the emergency response actions of the personnel at the school site.
2. Stay where you are-Tune into the television or radio. Listen for information and instructions. Any information we need you to know immediately will be conveyed through SchoolReach, the media, the district’s cable channel 6 and through our website www.usd258.net.
3. You will be informed of where to go to be reunited with your child. The “Reunification Site” for your school is the place where you will be allowed to pick up your student. Several precautionary measures will be in place to ensure the safe return of your student. Please be patient and follow the instructions. All measures utilized are for the safety of your student.
4. Do not call your student if he or she has a cell phone-The circuits you are using may be essential for the emergency response.
5. School will resume as quickly as possible-It is true that “getting back to normal” is the most reassuring response for children and adults.
6. After the crisis, talk with your student about the situation and listen to your student’s fears and concerns. Assure your student that he or she is alright and that everything will be back to normal soon. Share ongoing concerns with your child’s teacher and /or a counselor.

“Schools are still among the safest places for our young people to be.” -National School Safety Center

USD #258 Humboldt Schools has a wide variety of personnel, plans, programs and partnerships to ensure the safety of our students and staff at school.

Creating safe Humboldt schools is an ongoing process that focuses on the research, development and implementation of initiatives to support the safety, security and academic achievement of our students at school and in the community. Humboldt Schools, Emergency Preparedness, and Homeland Security Initiatives include the following:

• A district-wide crisis response plan is in place. The district-wide crisis team is prepared to respond to crises at one or both schools at the same time.
• Each Humboldt Public School has a crisis plan and a building crisis team in place to ensure safety during emergency situations. These plans follow a standardized format and are individualized to the uniqueness of each school. Each school revises its plan and conducts two or more crisis drills each year.
• Our school district crisis recovery team is prepared to meet an array of student and staff crisis counseling needs. Specially trained staff provide individual and small group counseling sessions regarding personal, school, local and national crises. The crisis recovery team coordinates services with other similar crisis counseling organizations throughout our local area.
• A Shelter In Place Plan for schools has been designed and is ready to be used by any school in case of a hazardous chemical spill, explosion or emergency situation nearby.
• Partnerships with local, state and federal public safety agencies provide key support for Humboldt Schools safety and security.

OUR FOCUS IS, AND WILL REMAIN, ON CREATING AND MAINTAINING THE BEST POSSIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS CAN LEARN, ACHIEVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE.