Dear Batavia Families and Community,

November, while my personal favorite month of the year, can also be a challenging one for families, due in part to the school schedule, so let me begin this update by calling out some key dates in November:

• Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day Holiday (no school)
• Monday, November 24: Early Release Day for all students. The schedule will be released later, but it is the same half-day schedule we always follow.
• Tuesday, November 25: Superintendent’s Conference Day (no school)
• Wednesday, November 26-28: Thanksgiving Vacation

We had some awesome Halloween celebrations last week at our schools, and many thanks to our community representatives who passed out candy at John Kennedy and Jackson, while our youngest learners at Robert Morris enjoyed a Fall Festival. Our staff even got into the spirit, and it was such fun seeing the costumes. Well done, BCSD! And speaking of community partners, thank you to those who attended and participated in the Batavia Middle School Fall Fest last week. The community connections to our school are so important, and we are thankful for all the support.

Although no snow has fallen yet, as we head into the winter months, I always like to remind families of weather closing procedures and practices at Batavia. 

Ultimately, we all want our children in school engaged in the learning process, provided that the weather conditions are safe. We have school bus drivers who take personal pride in ensuring our students are transported safely to and from school, and I have the utmost confidence in each of our drivers. Student safety is always at the forefront of any decision, and certainly this includes weather conditions. I also completely understand the child-care issues that are presented when schools close or have a delayed start. 
Of course, the ultimate decision on whether or not to send your child to school rests with you—the family. If, in your personal judgment, you believe it is unsafe to send your child to school, that decision will be respected. 

When weather conditions are predicted to be challenging, I review forecasts 24-72 hours prior to the predicted “event,” confer with neighboring superintendents, and maintain regular contact with the Town and City of Batavia to monitor road conditions.

Sometimes, the decision to close is made the night before. Other times, the decision to close or delay is made early in the morning. It is simply difficult to provide you with a hard-and-fast rule for the timing of closing decisions, as a variety of factors need to be taken into account. What I will promise you is that the decision to close will be made in a timely manner (i.e, prior to 6 am for a morning closing or delay) and that student safety will be the only concern. 

The wind chill factor has been a key factor in determining whether school districts close or remain open. The Monroe County Public Health Department has recommended that schools consider closure or later arrival as the wind chills fall to around -25 degrees or colder. Frostbite can occur on exposed skin in about 30 minutes. The decision to close based on cold alone will be given careful consideration. 

If school is open on unusually cold days, please be sure your children are dressed warmly, with hats, gloves, etc. 

State law requires a minimum of 180 days of instruction, or districts face significant financial penalties. When necessary, schools may need to adjust the calendar—including scheduled vacations—to meet this requirement. Adjusting vacations will always be a last resort, but I wanted you to be aware that this is a (distant) possibility. 

ParentSquare is our primary channel to communicate these timely alerts. We also send updates to our local media and post on our social media pages. Please make sure your contact information is up to date with your child’s school.  

The general rule is that when school is closed, so are all after-school activities. However, if weather conditions and forecasts allow, the District will consider allowing certain activities on a case-by-case basis. My goal is to keep our students connected to school as much as possible, but we will not do so at a safety risk.

Enjoy the month of November, and I look forward to sharing a Thanksgiving message with you in my next update.

Sincerely,
Jason A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools