What Happens During Inclement Weather?

The Limestone District School Board and its schools do have protocols, practices and guidelines for communications and decision-making with regards to inclement weather.

Decisions about cancelling transportation services usually occur very early in the morning of a school day, and are based on the latest information about road conditions and weather forecasts. Therefore, staff is confident that cancellation of transportation services is required in order to ensure the safety and security of our students.

• Bus routes that have been cancelled due to inclement weather are cancelled for the whole day.
• Parents/guardians will be responsible for the return transportation for any student dropped off at school.
• Schools remain open in the event of full bus cancellations unless otherwise determined by the Director of Education.

Decisions about cancelling transportation services to schools are a collaborative effort between the CEO of Tri-Board Transportation and the Director of Education. Important information on road conditions and general forecasts within the Limestone District School Board area is gathered from weather reports, area weather contacts, transportation operators and staff.

Fog Cancellations and Delays

When a bus does not travel a route in the morning due to heavy fog, and the fog clears during the day, that bus will pick-up students in the afternoon for the return journey. Morning pick-up of students can be delayed up to two hours due to heavy fog.

Decisions about cancelling transportation services usually occur very early in the morning of a school day, and are based on the latest information about road conditions and weather forecasts. Therefore, staff is confident that cancellation of transportation services is required in order to ensure the safety and security of our students.

• Bus routes that have been cancelled due to inclement weather are cancelled for the whole day.
• Parents/guardians will be responsible for the return transportation for any student dropped off at school.
• Schools remain open in the event of full bus cancellations unless otherwise determined by the Director of Education.

Decisions about cancelling transportation services to schools are a collaborative effort between the CEO of Tri-Board Transportation and the Director of Education. Important information on road conditions and general forecasts within the Limestone District School Board area is gathered from weather reports, area weather contacts, transportation operators and staff.

What Happens During Inclement Weather?

The Limestone District School Board and its schools do have protocols, practices and guidelines for communications and decision-making with regards to inclement weather. Decisions about cancelling transportation services usually occur very early in the morning of a school day, and are based on the latest information about road conditions and weather forecasts. Therefore, staff is confident that cancellation of transportation services is required in order to ensure the safety and security of our students.

• Bus routes that have been cancelled due to inclement weather are cancelled for the whole day.
• Parents/guardians will be responsible for the return transportation for any student dropped off at school.
• Schools remain open in the event of full bus cancellations unless otherwise determined by the Director of Education.

Decisions about cancelling transportation services to schools are a collaborative effort between the CEO of Tri-Board Transportation and the Director of Education. Important information on road conditions and general forecasts within the Limestone District School Board area is gathered from weather reports, area weather contacts, transportation operators and staff.

Fog Cancellations and Delays

• When a bus does not travel a route in the morning due to heavy fog, and the fog clears during the day, that bus will pick-up students in the afternoon for the return journey.
• Morning pick-up of students can be delayed up to two hours due to heavy fog.
• In the event the fog does not lift during the day, a decision to cancel afternoon runs will be made by 12:00 PM with schools being notified of the decision at that time.
• Parents/guardians will be responsible for the return transportation for any student dropped off at school.

How do I Find Out if Buses are Cancelled?

Visit Tri-Board Student Transportation Services website at www.triboard.on.ca for information and subscribe to their notification of cancellation messages.

• Visit the LDSB website www.limestone.on.ca
• Follow us on Twitter @LimestoneDSB
• In the event of inclement weather, all bus cancellations or delays will be reported by Tri-Board to local radio stations as early as possible in the morning.

When Would the Limestone District School Board Send Students Home Early?

In order to coordinate early bus departures, schools need to be notified two hours prior to departure time. This allows staff time to notify parents that their children will be arriving home early, or to permit enough time for parents to arrange for their child(ren) to return home safely.

The municipalities within the Limestone Board are aware that buses start to take students home around 2:00 PM. The municipalities attempt to have roads sanded or plowed by the time our students travel home. The worse thing the Board could do is send buses and staff out on roads before they have been cleared.

How is a School Prepared for Inclement Weather?

Each school has an Inclement Weather Team. This team includes at least an administrator (Principal), a staff member to handle communications (telephone, e-mail, fax), a caretaker who is familiar with the building operating systems (alarms, heating) and sufficient teaching and other staff to supervise students. This team would respond to the needs of students who come to school, provide for communications, look after the building, and make decisions on the operation of the site during the weather situation.

When Would the Limestone District School Board Close a School?

Schools will not be closed, except in an emergency situation (e.g. 1998 Ice Storm.) This is a rare occurrence and must be determined by the Director of Education.

Schools remain OPEN even though transportation services have been cancelled to accept those students who may not have heard cancellation notices to accommodate a large percentage of students who walk to school or who are driven by their parents. Cancellation of transportation services does not always affect these students.

Parents and/or guardians must always use their own discretion when it comes to determining whether or not their child(ren) can safely get to and from their schools during inclement weather. With due regard to the safety of our staff and students, those who can make their way to school are asked to do so, unless otherwise informed.

Principals, caretakers, clerical staff and teaching staff all play significant roles during times of inclement weather. The safety and maintenance of the building, the communication in and out of each school and the proper supervision and education of our children, all are key considerations in any decisions made about inclement weather situation.

The Limestone Board would close a school due to a flood, fire, the breakdown of a heating plant, the failure of utilities essential for an operation, or a similar emergency. Some extreme weather conditions could bring about school closure.

Tri-Board Transportation Services safely transports 30,966 students on 683 bus routes, with 2173 bus runs for 155 schools everyday. Tri-Board is a transportation consortium providing transportation services for the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board and Limestone District School Board.