Niagara Catholic’s Storm Desk is open!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! As we all know, into every Canadian's life, a little snow must fall, and we want to make sure you’re prepared when Niagara transforms into a winter wonderland.
And so, greetings from the Niagara Catholic Storm Desk, available to you in our newsletter, on our website, and on social media. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.
First and foremost, parents and guardians are expected to have a plan in place for stormy weather. This includes childcare options if schools and daycares are closed, and parents have to work.
Decisions about bus cancellations – either in a specific area, or across Niagara Catholic – are made by Niagara Student Transportation Services (NSTS). With very rare exceptions (like in 2023, when schools were pre-emptively the day before the last day of school before the Christmas break in advance of the Christmas snowpocalypse), the decision to cancel buses is made by 6 a.m. on a school day. The decision is made based on current and forecast conditions, and it is often about more than snow.
Freezing rain, extreme cold, and high winds can freeze or damage the stop arms on a school bus. Legally, buses can’t run without a working stop arm. If the stop arms don’t work at the start of the day or could get damaged while buses are on the road, buses may be cancelled. That means you could see buses cancelled on a bright, sunny day if the temperatures fall to a point when the stop arms are at risk of freezing. Schools would likely be open in this case, and Niagara Catholic’s Extreme Weather Protocol would be in place for an Extreme Cold Alert.
Extreme Cold Alerts are issued by the Niagara Emergency Management Team when the temperature drops to -15 Celsius and below or feels like -20 Celsius with the wind chill.
On days when Extreme Cold Alerts are in effect:
- Students will stay inside for breaks and recesses or have limited time outdoors (based on conditions at the school and at the principal’s discretion)
- Teachers/principals will reschedule or adapt planned outdoor activities planned for cold alert days that would keep students outside for prolonged periods of time
- Students without appropriate cold weather clothing will remain inside with teacher supervision
- If the weather causes a watermain break that affects the school, or the school’s heat system malfunctions during extreme cold, Facilities Services will work with the school principal and other staff to determine if it is safe to open a school. If it is not, families will receive an emergency notice from Communications (outlined below)
Thankfully, weather forecasts are more reliable today than they were a decade ago, making it easier to predict when or if a snowstorm or heavy snowfall may land in Niagara, allowing transportation to be cancelled or schools to be closed before the weather hits.
But life between two Great Lakes means a storm or lake effect snow might blow through Niagara unexpectedly. If that happens, buses may be cancelled through the school day and/or schools might be closed before the usual dismissal time. Families will be notified by the Communications Department so appropriate arrangements can be made.
It’s important to consider that a school bus is not the same as your car, truck, or SUV. Buses can’t get around piles of snow left behind by ploughs as easily as personal vehicles. NSTS may cancel buses in the morning of a day when heavy snow is expected to fall to make sure they don’t get stuck in the snow later in the day.
When buses are cancelled and schools are open, that information is posted on our website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and X).
Sometimes, parents choose to keep students at home when buses are cancelled, and schools are open. We remind all parents to report your child’s absence using Safe Arrival if you choose to keep your children at home, so that we know they are safe. If you do not and your children are not at school, you will receive automated calls to report their absence.
Decisions about school closures – either in a specific area or across Niagara Catholic – are made by the Directors of Education of the two boards that share NSTS. This decision is made by 6 a.m. and is communicated to families on our board website and social media. We also send phone, email, and text messages to all families of elementary and secondary students and to staff so they know they can go back to bed. If you have not added your mobile number to receive emergency text notifications (we only send texts for urgent messages), please ensure your information is updated at the school so they know you are willing to receive text messages.
These same processes are followed if a bus cancellation or area or system closure happens during the school day because of an unexpected weather event.
Students may continue to do asynchronous learning on a snow day. Or they may enjoy the day off. That’s up to you as a parent. Asynchronous learning is available on in the VLE. Parents do not have to report an absence when the school is closed.
Do you need more information about what happens during bad weather? If so, please check out Niagara Catholic’s School Operations for Inclement Weather and Workplace Closure Administrative Operational Procedures.