Alerts and Updates

For many of our students, school is the safest place to be during inclement weather. In many cases, both parents and/or guardians work outside the home. Schools provide a warm, supervised environment for children. However, parents are always encouraged to consider the conditions of their neighborhood and the well-being of their students in deciding whether to keep their student home. Students are excused from school when parents so request.

Alerts

We will use our text messaging system — BL Connect — to alert parents in the case of an emergency. Examples of when the text alert system would be used after:

  • Fire evacuation
  • School lockdown
  • Weather events that close or delay schools

This notification will be sent AFTER students and staff have been secured and emergency responders have been notified.

The text alert system will not be used in the case of drills, medical incidents involving specific students or lockouts (in a lockout, school staff members lock the outside doors, but instruction continues as normal.)
General press releases and community releases will not be sent using text messaging.

Delays and Closures Info

What Does the Information Mean?
  • School Closure: When schools are closed for the day due to weather or emergency, the school building will not be used. Unless otherwise noted, all evening meetings and activities are cancelled.
  • Two-Hour Delay: School will start two hours late. Buses will run two hours later than normal schedule and will drive slowly, adjusting to conditions and may be delayed.
  • 10-Minute Early Release: Middle and high school students can be released 10 minutes early in order to give the buses extra time to complete routes. In this case, elementary students are released at the regular time.



Winter Weather Decisions

How to Find Out if Schools are Closed or Delayed:

  1. Call our hotline, which will be updated with weather delay or closure information: English 541-323-7669 or Spanish 541-355-0044.
  2. Sign up for BLConnect, an emergency alert text messaging system. Register at This Link.
  3. Like Bend-La Pine Schools on our Facebook Page
  4. Follow us on Twitter @BLPSchools
  5. Tune it to local media.

How the Decision is Made:

Typically, decisions regarding schedule changes are made in the early morning, before school, when current weather conditions can be assessed. We believe students and families are best served when we are open. Our main concern is the safety of our students and staff. Once a decision has been made, it will be communicated as quickly as possible.