FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

 Section 34.0021 – FYI (For Your Information) to the Claude Community

     FYI, Claude.   This upcoming Wednesday, 12/12/07 you may see school buses unloading and re-loading students in places though out Claude.  This activity is a requirement of a new legislative mandate called School Bus Emergency Evacuation Training.  This mandate requires that each school district conduct a training session in the fall and in the spring of each year for all students and teachers in the district concerning procedures for evacuating a school bus during an emergency.  Each training session will include the viewing of a training video and actual practice of evacuation on a school bus. 

Gas Leak 101

   Last week provided ample practice for district crisis management when a gas heater located in the elementary school office area leaked enough to cause concern.  The gas supply to the heater was turned off and all students and staff located in the building were evacuated to the high school building for about two and a half hours.  Lunch, for all those that normally eat in the cafeteria, was served out of the Home-Ec. room, teachers from all grade levels pulled together, big kids helped little kids and West Texas Gas personnel provided expert evaluation of the issue.  Evacuating the elementary school is not my favorite choice of morning activities, but if we had to, the whole process was done very well.  My thanks go out especially to Reagan Oles, James Kennedy and Nila Voyles and their staffs who were truly “life savers” of the moment. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Laura Zanchettin

Superintendent – Claude ISD

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

To “Call” or Not to “Call”?  That is the Question.

     We were lucky these past couple of days that the temperature did not drop below freezing as the wet weather fronts came across the Panhandle.  We could have been in the same shape as those in Kansas and Oklahoma with all the ice and power outages.  I actually had my fingers crossed that I did not have to make the decision.  The decisions to call school off or to close school early or start late are some of the most difficult to make.  Visions of “calling school” and looking out the window at snow disappearing in front of my eyes is almost a nightmare.  However, this vision is not as bad as the one where the safety of  staff and students is compromised.   So, just in case I do “call school” or start late or end early, this is the process I use:

• Ask the questions –
  • How bad is the weather and how bad is it going to get? 
    • Mr. Stewart at the Highway Department keeps me posted on the conditions across the county.
    • Weather radar and the local weather personnel are excellent resources. 
  •  (If we are already at school) – Has lunch been served yet?
    • Lunch has to be served before we can release.
  •  (If we are already at school) – What are the little kids going home to and how will they get there?
    • Will someone be there?  Is the door going to be locked – will they even be able to get in?  If they don’t ride the bus, who is going to be able to pick them up if the parents are at work? 
  • (If we are already at school) – What are the risks of letting the big kids drive and are the risks likely to be greater if school is kept in session?
• Make the decision – knowing it was made for the right reasons, even if the snow or ice disappears before our eyes 2 hours later. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Laura Zanchettin

Superintendent – Claude ISD