Hazardous Travel and Work Attendance

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Determination of School Closure

On days when it is deemed necessary to alter normal operation procedures (delayed opening, school closures, altered transportation or work schedules) because of weather or road conditions, a determination to that effect will be made by the superintendent before 5:00 a.m.  If the action taken constitutes an emergency school closure and students are directed not to report, or if the conditions occur on an in-service day, the following procedures will be employed:

Notification

Anchorage radio and television stations will be notified and will carry information on the status of delay in opening, school closure, transportation changes, or changes in the normal work schedule.  Principals, administrators and the primary secretary will be requested to report to work early in their buildings so that they can assist with telephone inquiries regarding weather conditions, the status of school opening time, school closure and determination of the need for substitutes.  The ASD Education Center main telephone line will carry a recorded message encouraging callers to listen to the radio, or call their schools for the latest information.

Attendance Rules: Delayed Start Days Only

Teaching Staff

Teachers will report for duty at their regular times and be prepared to supervise students whose parents deliver them at the normal time. 

Non-Teaching Staff

All other staff will also report for duty at regular times.  When a member of the school staff, excluding principals, is absent because of weather conditions when schools are open and the supervisor acknowledges that travel to the work place is hazardous, the absence will be charged as follows:

1. The employee may elect to be paid for the day by submitting a leave request that will be charged to annual leave or if unutilized compensatory time has been accrued, that may be used.

2. If the employee has no annual leave days accrued or does not wish to charge the day to annual leave, the absent day will be unpaid.

3. Supervisors and principals will allow ACE and TOTEM employees to use flexible scheduling to make up work missed.

4. ACE employees may work from an alternate worksite by mutual agreement between the supervisor and the employee.

Attendance Rules: School Closure Days Only

Teaching Staff

On emergency closure days for schools, teachers may report to alternative work sites of individual choice.  Since normal service to students cannot be provided due to circumstances beyond the control of teachers, other duties may be undertaken in any appropriate location.  Alternate sites of individual choice may include homes if it is the professional judgment of individual teachers that homes are the appropriate places in which to perform their duties under emergency conditions. Unless otherwise announced, schools will reopen on the following day and teaching staff should report to their normal work locations.

*Teachers who have pre-arranged personal/sick leave for a day that is declared an emergency closure day will have their leave accrual charged as originally scheduled for that day unless a call changing their request is received by the substitute dispatch system prior to the beginning of the public announcements at 5:30 a.m.

Non-Teaching Staff

Building plant operators and principals will attempt to arrive at school earlier than normal when schools are closed.  facilities/maintenance staff will report as usual.

When support staff arrives within 90 minutes of the normal starting time on days when schools are closed, full credit will be given for the day's attendance. In extenuating circumstances the supervisor may extend the 90-minute guideline.

Substitutes for school support staff should not be dispatched on school closure days.  Support staff represented by TOTEM, but not regularly assigned to schools, are to be treated like school employees during an emergency school closure that affects all schools.  TOTEM employees are expected to report for work unless they judge that conditions are hazardous, in which case they may elect to take leave, use compensatory time or arrange with their supervisors to make up lost time at a later date within the school year.

Custodial employees are expected to report for duty when schools are closed. All facilities/maintenance staff are expected to report for duty when schools are closed.

The procedures listed above for non-teaching staff do not apply to the following employee groups.  The following employee groups should not report when students are not in attendance.

1. Bus drivers will be notified by 5:30 a.m.
2. Bus attendants.
3. Student nutrition employees working in school buildings.
4. Crossing guards and noon duty attendants.

Typical Media Announcements

The following announcements are typical of the notification to be given to the media:

Delayed Start

“All Anchorage public schools will open one hour later than usual today due to weather and road conditions.  School buses are operating one hour later than the normal schedule.  All school district employees will report for duty at their regular time.”

Schools Closed

“All Anchorage public schools are closed today due to weather and road conditions.  Employees should follow emergency closure procedures for their building or department.  Unless otherwise announced, schools will reopen tomorrow” (or on Monday if closure occurs on Friday). 

All District Facilities Closed

“All Anchorage public schools and support facilities are closed today due to weather and road conditions.  Only emergency staff should report for duty, including all facilities and maintenance staff.  Unless otherwise announced, schools will reopen tomorrow” (or on Monday if closure occurs on Friday). 

Reviewed 9/2007