Delays, Early Dismissals, Cancellations

Information concerning delays, early dismissals, and/or cancellations will be broadcast by local TV and radio stations and phoned, e-mailed and/or texted to all SchoolMessenger account holders.This information will also be posted on the District website and its social media accounts. We encourage having a family emergency plan for childcare in the event of an early dismissal or cancellation of school. This will reduce your child’s anxiety over an uncertain situation and reduce phone calls to and from school.

Typically, the following local media will broadcast information regarding delays, early dismissals, and cancellations:
WHLM (106.5), WCNR (930), Bloomsburg
WISL (1480), Shamokin or (95.3FM)
WPGM (96.7), Danville
WILQ (105.1 FM), Williamsport
WKSB (102.7FM), Williamsport
WNEP-TV (16), WYOU-TV (22), WBRE-TV (28)

Sapphire Parent Portal

The Sapphire Parent Portal gives parents and students access to real-time information including attendance, grades and detailed assignment descriptions, school bulletins, lunch menus and even personal messages from the teacher. Everyone stays connected: Students stay on top of assignments, parents are able to participate more fully in their student’s progress, and teachers can use their gradebook to make decisions on what information they want to share with parents and students.

Campus Evacuation

If an emergency requires the evacuation of Southern Columbia Area’s schools the following procedures will be followed.

1. The Transportation Director shall prepare / provide for the buses to transport the students from the campus. Student drivers will be allowed to exit the campus via their personal vehicles if the circumstances allow for them to safely do so. Otherwise they shall evacuate via bus.

2. Staff will be assigned to complete a roll call of students under their supervision and record the method in which the student left the campus.

3. An announcement shall be immediately sent out informing parents of the evacuation. Parents should not attempt to come to the campus as this will hamper emergency response to the campus. Parents will be provided with information regarding the location where students are being transported to.

4. Locust Township Police shall be notified and in charge of establishing detours at strategic locations to prevent unauthorized traffic from reaching the campus (including parents), and thus keeping this route open for emergency responders to reach the campus.

5. Busses shall attempt to transport all students to their regular bus stops to return students to their homes.

6. If circumstances prevent any or all busses from reaching their regular stops, or if kindergarten students are unable to be dropped off due to lack of adult supervision present at their home or drop off location, then busses shall proceed with any remaining students to one of three (3) locations closest to their route/student homes. Parents will be directed to those locations to pick up their students. Each bus required to take students to these locations will stay at that location until all of their students have been picked up and shall maintain a log of the students released from that site.

• Numidia Area busses will go to the Locust Township Municipal Building/Valley Chemical Fire Department in Numidia.

• Catawissa Area busses will report to the Grace Bible Church on McIntyre Road in Franklin Township.

• ElysburgArea busses will report to the Elysburg Presbyterian Church on Rt. 487 in Elysburg.