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ST. CATHARINE SCHOOL
 EMERGENCY CLOSING INFORMATION 2024 - 2025

PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ THIS INFORMATION REGARDING OUR EMERGENCY CLOSING PROCEDURES SHOULD WE HAVE TO CLOSE IN THE MORNING, HAVE A DELAYED SCHOOL OPENING, OR AN EARLY DISMISSAL. THIS PROCESS WILL BE IN EFFECT REGARDLESS OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION.

• Flock Notes:  This communication system will send you alerts via text and email messages to keep you informed on any emergency situation.
• School Website:  www.stcatharineschool.net 
• Social Media:
  • www.instagram.com/stcatharineschoolspringlakenj/ 
  • www.facebook.com/SCSLakers 

Full Day Emergency Closings:
When it is necessary to close school due to the weather or any other emergency situation, before the school day begins, our Communication Plan will be activated in the morning. 

Delayed School Openings:
The Delayed School Opening is utilized at appropriate times to avoid closing school for the entire school day, a 90-minute delayed school opening will be announced.  Our Communication Plan will be activated and will include busing information.

At times, the decision for a Delayed School Opening may have to be upgraded to a School Closing.  If this should occur, our Communication Plan will again be activated with the update. 
If a Delayed School Opening is announced on a scheduled early dismissal day, our school day will become a regular 2:30 pm dismissal.

Emergency School-Wide Early Dismissal:
In the event weather becomes inclement OR there is a school emergency and we must close during the school day, our emergency procedure is as follows:

• Our Communication Plan will be activated

• Every child will be dismissed according to the “SCS School-Wide Emergency Dismissal” form completed at the beginning of the school year.  

You should have the yellow parent copy.  If you need to change your plan, anytime during the school year, please send in a written request to your child/ren’s homeroom teacher for a new form, then return the updated form to school the next day.

• Buses should run as usual.  Busing details will be confirmed within family communications.  

• After the scheduled dismissal time and buses leave, the remainder of the children will be escorted to the gym by their teacher until the approved parent/guardian arrives.  

Parents/Guardians MUST come into the school (using the front entrance) and sign their child/ren out with his/her teacher to ensure that the student will go home with the designated person as stated on the SCS School-Wide Emergency Dismissal form.

NO STUDENT WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE THE STATED DISMISSAL TIME.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL’S MAIN OFFICE TO TRY TO CHANGE YOUR CHILD’S DISMISSAL PROCEDURE ~ WE NEED TO KEEP OUR DISMISSAL PROCEDURE AS ORGANIZED AS POSSIBLE AND OUR PHONE LINES OPEN.