District Response to Flood Warning
November 24, 2009 04:27 PM

Update for Parents – Flood Warning
November 24, 2009

Today at 1:00 p.m. the City of Courtenay issued a priority news release about water levels. Our district response team met today at 2:30 and here are the plans for the district for Wednesday, November 25th:

- We are asking schools NOT to use Synrevoice to call out to parents about any potential closure.
- If schools do choose to send out a Synrevoice call to all parents, it should be a general message that our district website at sd71.bc.ca will be the main vehicle for communication tomorrow along with local radio 97.3 (Eagle FM) and 98.9 (JET FM);
- We will use the district website and emails to all schools to update everyone on events as they unfold;
- We do not intend to close any schools due to flooding or concerns of flooding – a full simulation of a dam burst has been run recently and no schools are threatened by high water;
- Transportation is our central issue - getting all students home safely in the event that bridges and roads are closed;
- We are asking parents to plan appropriately for tomorrow by making alternate arrangements in the case that you are unable to get home or pick up your children as usual; and
- Our schools will remain open late tomorrow, staffed by administration, to assist with any issues regarding student safety.

Finally, tomorrow is a scheduled early closure day for parent-teacher interviews. These interviews are going ahead as planned in many schools and we encourage parents to leave enough time to travel safely to and from school should roads or bridges be closed.


Regards,

Jordan Tinney
Superintendent