November 16, 2021
Inclement Weather Notice to NNDSB Families;
With winter weather starting to settle in, the following communication outlines the Near North District School Board’s response to inclement weather days when school transportation is cancelled due to student safety concerns.
The Nipissing-Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS) manages and coordinates transportation for our district, in addition to three of our co-terminus boards. On inclement weather days, when buses are cancelled due to unsafe travelling conditions, schools will remain open to students who can safely make their way to and from school without the use of school bus transportation. We remind parents/guardians that any students dropped off must be picked up at regular school dismissal time.
In some circumstances, the Board will decide to close a school. This decision could be due to the severity of the weather, loss of power or water, and in rare cases the school’s inability to maintain or follow other COVID-19 protocols which might place students in an at-risk position.
Critical to this is the following of ministry and health authorities’ guidelines regarding the number of permissible student contacts and cohort sizes. If schools are closed for the day, parents will be notified through their school, board and local media communications. Our primary concern is always the safety of our students.
If buses to your school are either cancelled for the day and/or schools closed, instruction and related student activities will be provided for your child to complete at home. These activities may include online or offline activities that every child can access.
We understand that because each school and community is unique, plans will vary across the Board in response to local contexts. However, we plan to ensure that the learning continues for students, despite the weather outdoors.
Sincerely,
Gay Smylie
Superintendent of Education
