In most jobs, a person can schedule training sessions and staff meetings during their regular workday. But, a teacher can’t leave a classroom full of students to do such tasks and classified staff members (bus drivers, custodians, paraeducators, and clerical staff) also must be available when school is in session. Training activities and meetings can only be done when students aren’t present. Two staff training days have therefore been included in the 2018-19 calendar to allow staff members the opportunity to attend workshops that are led by experts in education, collaborate with each other to improve their skills, discuss ways to help struggling students, or learn about new academic standards and curriculum.

Weather conditions or other events may cause school to be canceled or delayed. Bus routes may also be affected by unsafe travel conditions. If school is canceled, the school day will be made up later in the year. Here are some ways you can get informed if school is canceled or the start of school is delayed:

• Arrange to get text or email notices through the parent notification system, called Blackboard Connect. Because decisions to cancel or delay school are usually made very early in the morning, they will not be sent by telephone. Only those requesting to receive notices by text or email will receive those early-morning notices through Blackboard Connect. See the section about Staying Connected.
• Watch or listen to local TV and radio stations. Most of the major radio and television stations will broadcast information about school closures and delays.
• Arrange to get email messages through the Email News service. See the section about Staying Connected.
• Check the school district’s website headlines.
• Call the Emergency Information Line at 425-356-1299.

Conditions could develop during the school day that may require school to be dismissed earlier than planned. Information about early dismissals will be provided to local radio and television stations and distributed through the school district’s automated parent notification system. If school is dismissed early, and transportation home is not available, a child will be released only to his or her parent or guardian or to a person previously authorized by the parent or guardian. We ask that parents please bring photo identification (such as a driver’s license) to ensure student safety. School staff will remain at the school until all students have been released.

The school district uses a family notification system called Blackboard Connect to send important messages to families in the event that school has been canceled or delayed. Because those messages typically go out in the early-morning hours, they will not be sent by telephone, but instead via email and text to those who have indicated they would like to receive information in that way. Please see the information in the section about Staying Connected to learn more about the process for selecting your preferences for how you’ll like to receive these family notifications.

In addition to the family notification system, there are other options for receiving a text message in the event of a school closure or delay. When the school district announces a change in the schedule, it notifies the local TV and radio stations through a service called FlashAlert. You can receive a text message directly from FlashAlert whenever the school district posts a notice to that system. You can receive that service by signing up for FlashAlert Messenger at www.flashalert.net. Many local TV and radio stations also offer similar text messaging services.