MSBSD school closures and delays policy

While much of the Mat-Su Borough was spared from the icy and wet weather that wreaked havoc Monday in some areas of Southcentral Alaska that made the morning commute hazardous, one region in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) did operate on a two-hour delay, serving as a reminder of the school district’s delay and closure plan.

The district placed Region 4, which includes Beryozova, Dena’ina Elementary, Goose Bay Elementary, Knik Elementary, and Redington Jr./Sr. High, on a delay from the normal start time, not the PLC schedule. Pre-K classes were also canceled. All other regions operated on a normal schedule.

Parents and students seeking updates can easily find them on the MSBSD website dashboard, part of the district’s initiative to ensure timely response and notifications of school delays and closures.

To ensure the best communication, MSBSD will make every effort to inform families of closures and delays no later than 6:00 a.m. In addition to communicating via telephone, email, and text, the district will also make information available on the MSBSD’s online school closure dashboard. There will also be information and updates on the MSBSD App and social media. Families may also call the school closure hotline (907) 746-9200, and information will be shared with local media outlets during their normal morning announcements.

Circumstances can and will arise during the school year which require a modified service level, most often the result of inclement weather or hazardous road conditions.

Descriptions of the service levels and likely reasoning of why they are being implemented are below.

‘Full Service’ is issued most days, when conditions are typical for the time of year and allow for fully operating schools, and facilities are open consistent with their normally scheduled start and end times, and buses are running on time.

‘Delayed Start’ will be issued when the roads, including main roads and side roads are not initially safe for travel at 4:00 a.m but warmer weather or road maintenance will allow for safer travel later in the morning. Facilities will open, but with a two hour delayed start. Nutrition services are available for lunch, no breakfast service will be provided.

When main roads and side roads are passable by personal vehicles, but the side roads are not safely traversable by school buses, ‘Transportation cancellations’ will be issued. Facilities are open consistent with their normally scheduled start and end times.

‘Delayed start with Transportation cancellation’ has a few caveats to it when it is issued. Facilities are open but with a 2-hour delay; instruction will be occurring but with a shortened day. School buses are not running.

‘Remote Learning’ will be implemented when state and local agencies have issued warnings or cautions about driving on roads or leaving home due to an emergent situation.

School buildings cannot be occupied for a specific reason which could include but is not limited to a building system failure, a communicable disease concern, credible threat of harm, or other conditions requiring school building closure.

And finally, ‘School Closure’ will commence when conditions exist that prevent or preclude the use of remote learning. This may include widespread power outages, internet outages, or other events that prevent students from being able to participate online.

Since the district is quite large, spanning an area the size of West Virginia, the district recognizes that there will be situations in which the weather will require service adjustments in some areas but not others. To facilitate these decisions as quickly as possible yet in an organized manner, the district has established seven geographic regions. The regions cover schools and facilities from Glacier View to Su Valley.

For more information, please contact the MSBSD Public Information Office at (907) 746-9251 or pio@matsuk12.us, or visit www.matsuk12.us/delaysandclosures.