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Urgent Alert

Update: All BISD schools are closed today (Tuesday, February 4, 2025) due to continued icy conditions on Bainbridge Island and throughout Kitsap, making travel difficult for students and staff. Afterschool activities and athletics are also canceled.

District

Winter Weather Reminders from BISD

Posted Date: 2/03/25 (8:08 PM)
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Dear BISD Staff, Families, Students & Community, 

When inclement weather and/or power outages impact our community, many moving pieces impact whether schools will be delayed, closed, or operate as usual. Here is what happens behind the scenes:


INCLEMENT WEATHER PROTOCOL
If the forecast indicates a potential weather event that could cause snowy/icy roads and/or power outages, the District Office activates its Inclement Weather Protocol, which alerts key personnel to be on standby. 


CONDITIONS

BISD receives input from the following sources:

  • BISD Maintenance Team checks buildings for power/heat/frozen pipes @ 2:30 a.m.

  • BISD Transportation Team drives Island & Kitsap roads starting @ 3 a.m.

  • Neighboring Districts share their statuses around 4 a.m.

  • The City of Bainbridge Island provides road condition updates around 5:30 a.m

POWER OUTAGES
If a school or schools have no power, BISD contacts Puget Sound Energy to receive an estimated restoration time. In most cases, if only one school is experiencing a power outage, the decision will be made for that school only.

Factors at play:

  • How long has the power been out? (It takes some buildings up to three hours to restore heat.)

  • What is the estimated time for power restoration?

  • Are generators and battery backups operational?

  • Do schools have internet?

ICY/SNOWY ROADS
Conditions can vary from one end of the island to another. For example, accumulation might be minimal on the south end, but the north end could be blanketed in snow and ice. Because our 5-12 schools draw students from across the island, when making a decision to close or delay due to road conditions, the entire district must be taken into consideration.

Additional considerations:

  • What are the conditions like beyond Bainbridge Island? Approximately 1/3 of BISD staff live off-island. If the majority of off-island staff could not safely get to work, there would not be enough substitutes to cover necessary staffing positions.

  • Are BISD parking lots and walking paths safe? Despite the Herculean efforts of BISD grounds and custodial crews, sometimes Mother Nature dumps more snow or ice than crews can keep up with!

  • What is the predicted forecast for the day? Will temperatures rise and the sun come out to melt snow/ice? Or, is additional ice/snow forecasted? (This helps decide between a late start or a full closure.)

  • What are the weather conditions for students getting to and from (and waiting for) school buses?

SCHOOL SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT OPTIONS

TWO-HOUR DELAY
When a two-hour delay is called, the school start time is pushed to two hours later. For example, if school usually begins at 7:50 a.m., under a two-hour delay, school begins at 9:50 a.m.

  • The same adjustment is made for school bus pick-ups. (Add two hours to the standard pick-up time.)

  • Zero period is canceled. Students should check frogrock email for possible messages from teachers.

  • Before-school clubs and activities are canceled. After-school activities and athletics schedules will be determined based on weather conditions.

  • School dismissal times remain as usual and are not adjusted.

  • During a two-hour late start, there is no:

    • Preschool

    • Out-of-District Transportation

    • School breakfast

  • Families of students involved in the Adult Living Program will be contacted via email regarding the status for the day.

  • A two-hour late start does not impact the last day of school in June.

FULL-DAY CLOSURE

  • School is closed for the day.

  • Unless otherwise stated, after-school activities and sports are also canceled.

  • Full-day closures impact the last day of school, which is why there are three make-up days built into the school calendar.

EARLY RELEASE

  • If severe weather or power outages occur once school is underway, BISD may consider releasing students early, but this is incredibly rare.

  • If this happens, BISD tries to wait until the elementary students are dismissed for the day.

MESSAGING ABOUT SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS 

  • If a decision is made to alter the district’s schedule, BISD’s goal is to get the message out as soon as possible —ideally, by 5:30 a.m. However, Mother Nature can have plans of her own, and sometimes BISD is delayed due to unpredictable conditions. Please know that BISD is working hard to make a decision and communicate it to you!

  • Schedule changes will be sent through ParentSquare, posted on the BISD website (www.bisd303.org), shared on BISD social media accounts and announced by radio/TV stations. Staff & Families, please be sure and register your ParentSquare Account. Community members without direct ties to BISD can also sign up for alerts by completing this form. 

  • Remember that no message means our schools are on their regular schedules.

SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY
We understand that school delays & closures can create hardships for many families. BISD leadership puts a lot of time and effort into making decisions about delaying or closing schools due to inclement weather conditions. Each time a decision has to be made, many different interests and issues are taken into consideration, but our top priority is always the safety of our students and staff. 

It is looking like it could be a week of messy winter weather. Stay tuned!

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Amii Thompson
BISD Superintendent