Dear Parent or Guardian,

This letter is to review our emergency school dismissal procedures in case of severe weather. If severe weather is imminent near dismissal time, the District will assess whether there is ample time for all children (including walkers and bus riders) to arrive home safely. If there is not ample time, children will be held at the buildings until conditions are safe for normal dismissal. »Emergency info page

How will I know dismissal is delayed? If dismissal is delayed, the District will notify parents through its automated calling system, and will post a message on www.d41.org. Interruptions in power or phone service may affect our ability to implement these communication processes.

Can I come pick up my child? During a delayed dismissal, we will release children only to a parent, guardian, or to another adult who has been authorized by the parent, unless the Principal feels conditions are too hazardous for any release. However, we value your safety and urge you to stay home until conditions clear.

How will I know when my child is dismissed? When dismissal resumes, we will update www.d41.org, and send an additional phone message to let you know that your children are on their way. There may be conditions under which the severe weather has passed, but we cannot safely release children due to darkness, downed power lines or other hazardous conditions. If we feel travel conditions make it necessary for an authorized adult to pick up children, you will receive another phone message.

How do I authorize someone to pick up my child? To give us permission to release your child to a person other than a parent or guardian, please send a note stating the name and phone number of the person(s) to school with your child, or email this information to your child’s teacher no later than 9 a.m. the morning of the day in question. Once we receive this permission, we will place it in your child’s file for reference. We will not release children to persons for whom we have not received permission.

If you have provided multiple phone numbers, or if you have multiple children, you will receive multiple phone calls. The District uses this automated phone calling system only for emergencies, and while we know that it is inconvenient to receive multiple messages, we feel that it is important to do our utmost to get emergency information out.

District personnel monitor weather conditions during the day via weather radios, the National Weather Service Web site, and personal observations. Also, in September, we were connected to the DuPage County Emergency Network system (EMnet) which also provides timely emergency information.

Thank you for your cooperation. This information is not intended to alarm you or your child, but to help us keep everyone safe.

Sincerely,
Ann Riebock, Superintendent.