Announcing Emergency/Snow Days

There will be days when, because of hazardous road conditions, school will be delayed or closed. Delays and closings will be posted prominently on the district’s website home page and communicated directly to our families through our ParentSquare notification system. Announcements will be made on the following radio stations and websites beginning at 5:45 a.m.:

• WALL (1340 AM)
• WGNY (1220 AM)
• WELV (1269 AM)
• WBNR (1260 AM)
• WPDH (101.5 FM)
• WHUD (100.7 FM)
• WSUL (98.3 FM) 

When the school district is closed, no transportation will be furnished to BOCES, non-public schools, or after-school activities.

 

Delays and Early Dismissals

When the Pine Bush Central School District has a two- or three-hour delay, transportation will pick up all of our students on a delayed schedule. This includes students attending OU BOCES, non-public schools and other special education locations. Students will be picked up two hours later than usual on a two-hour delay day and three hours later than usual on a three-hour delay day.

Students will return home on their regular schedule.

When the district dismisses early, transportation will pick up all of our students early, including students attending OU BOCES, non-public schools and other special education locations. 

When Pine Bush cancels after-school activities, Boys and Girls Club and Club Kid will also be cancelled. Please make sure you have a plan to accommodate this possibility. 

 

Virtual Instruction

In the event that the district uses all of its allotted emergency closing days,  an all-virtual learning day may be scheduled.

 

Emergency Days 

For the 2023-2024 school year, there are four emergency days built into the calendar. Emergency days used so far:

• Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024
• Friday, Jan. 19, 2024
• Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024

 

Decision Making

The Pine Bush Central School District utilizes numerous contacts and information when making the determination to delay schools, close schools, dismiss schools early, and/or cancel after-school activities and events.

Please know that safety is always our highest concern. The safety of our students and staff comes first, every single day. If we believe we can keep school open safely, that’s what we do.

However, the process to determine whether to keep schools open or to close, delay or release early, is exceptionally thorough. District officials are in consultation with town, county and transportation officials well in advance of a potential weather event, right up until the time we make our decision.

In making our decisions, we monitor information from the National Weather Service, Fleet Weather Tracking System, local news channels and the Weather Channel. Each storm behaves differently. We are in close contact with our town highway supervisors about road conditions and their schedules for road crews to prep for the expected conditions as well as plowing, salting and/or sanding during the event.

During inclement weather, our bus company has four members of its staff traveling within the Pine Bush Central School District providing feedback on road conditions.

We are in contact with contiguous school districts as well.

Our Operations and Maintenance Department also weighs in on their progress and ability to have parking areas and walkways clear for staff and students.

Our district is large – encompassing seven towns in three counties. Many areas are at a higher elevation and experience more difficult weather conditions while much of the district may not. We must take into account the entire district when making these decisions. However, parents have the final say and can make the informed choice to keep their children home from school if they are not comfortable with the conditions in their area.

For school closings, based on all information we have gathered, the superintendent or the designee usually makes a determination by 5:30 a.m.

Once a decision is made, messages are sent out to parents and guardians using the ParentSquare messaging system. and a message is posted on our district website. Local radio and television stations are also notified. Through these communication avenues, parents and guardians then are able to plan accordingly for their children and their care.

Please make sure your information is up to date so that you receive the proper notifications.

Emergency Closings

If a school emergency should arise that requires an evacuation, the following plan will be put in place:

• E. J. Russell Elementary School students will walk to the Church of the Infant Saviour on Rt. 302.
• Pakanasink Elementary School students will walk to the Presbyterian Church on the corner of Rt. 302 and Goshen Turnpike.
• Circleville Elementary School students will board buses and be transported to the Presbyterian Church on the corner of Rt. 302 and Goshen Turnpike.
• Pine Bush Elementary School students will walk to the Pine Bush High School.

After the elementary students are in the alternate sites, buses will pick up the high school and middle school students, transport them home, and return for the elementary students.

Parents must decide in advance what their child will do if school is closed. It is not possible for the school to notify parents in the event of an emergency closing, however, information will be made available on the district Hot Line, which can be accessed by dialing 744-2031, then press 12, then press 3.