With cold, wintry weather here, we’d like to review a few points about student safety and weather announcements amid bitter outdoor temperatures.
Ride the GGFT Bus to the High School/Middle School! Check out the Greater Glens Falls Transit route for a FREE, WARM, and DRY ride to school in the morning, and back home in the afternoon. Students simply show their school ID when hopping on the bus. Bus stops and pickup times are available on ParentSquare and StudentSquare.
Minimize outdoor time at drop-off. If you are dropping off your middle school or elementary-aged child, please try not to arrive before 8:20 a.m., unless your child is eating breakfast in the cafeteria. Generally speaking, our schools don’t have the supervisory staff necessary for children to be in the buildings before the doors open at 8:20 a.m.
Protect your children from frostbite on their walk to school. The Mayo Clinic says that in very cold, windy weather, exposed skin can develop frostbite in a matter of minutes. Dress your child in several layers of loose, warm clothing so the air trapped between the layers can act as insulation against the cold. Children should wear windproof and waterproof outer garments, a hat that fully covers their ears, and mittens rather than gloves, which provide better protection. If your family needs assistance to get the proper winter clothing for your child, please call the principal, nurse, or school counseling office so our staff members can help.
Have more than one source of information when it comes to weather-related announcements. Any unexpected school closings or delays will be announced in multiple ways. We all know that sometimes the power goes out, sometimes the internet goes down, and sometimes technology just doesn’t work. Whatever the case may be, have a few different communication channels that work for you. Use at least two of the following avenues where school closings and delays will be posted:
- Like the district’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GlensFallsCSD
- Follow the district’s Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/GlensFallsCSD
- Sign up for School News Notifier emails/text messages: HERE
- Bookmark the district website at home: www.gfsd.org
- If it’s snowing, check local TV and radio stations, and/or the websites of regional newspapers.
Keep kids safe during outdoor winter play. In the rare event that school is closed due to heavy snow or extreme cold (air temperatures approaching -30, as an approximation), make sure your children are safe and protected from the cold as they play outside. These winter safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Parents Magazine’s winter weather safety guide offers advice and precautions for cold-weather play.