The following message was e-mailed to all SOCSD families on October 25, 2019.
As a reminder, Friday, November 8 is a scheduled Early Emergency Dismissal Drill for all K-12 students. On this day, South Orangetown schools will be running an early dismissal drill to test our district safety procedures.
Families are strongly encouraged to use this opportunity to test their own family emergency plans. With winter weather on the way, it’s important that all families have plans in place in the event of a school closing, delay or early dismissal.
DISMISSAL TIMES
In accordance with NYSED guidelines, the drill will occur 15 minutes prior to normal dismissal time. (NOTE: This is a correction to the print calendar.)
- 2:40PM: South Orangetown Middle School
- 2:45PM: Tappan Zee High School
- 3:15PM: William O. Schaefer Elementary School and Cottage Lane Elementary School
Following dismissal, all schools and Central Office will be closed for the day. All after school clubs and activities are canceled for November 8.
COMMUNICATIONS
All parent/guardian and emergency contacts listed in student records will receive SchoolMessenger email and robocall notification of an early emergency dismissal the afternoon of the drill. Early emergency dismissal information will also be posted on the district website (socsd.org).
TRANSPORTATION
- All transportation-eligible students will be transported to either their home bus stop or afternoon alternate bus stop location according to what is designated on the student’s transportation file.
- The YMCA afterschool program is canceled; students who usually go to the YMCA program will be bused home.
- All walkers in grades K-8 are required to take their assigned afternoon bus. Only high school students who live within the 1.5-mile walk zone and are ineligible for transportation are permitted to walk.
- WOS students must be met by a parent/guardian or bus designee at their designated bus stop. Please arrive at your child’s stop 15 minutes early to ensure that they have an authorized adult to receive them. Students will not be returned to the school for parent pick-up. To add a bus designee to your child’s record, please contact the Transportation Office at (845) 680-1662.
- High school students who drive to school will be permitted to drive home. However, in the event of an actual emergency, transportation-eligible high school students may be required to take the bus.
- In order to accurately practice and evaluate our emergency early dismissal procedures, student pickups cannot be accommodated on Friday, November 8.
HOW FAMILIES CAN PREPARE
- Discuss the school early emergency dismissal drill with your children in advance. For parents of grades K-2 students, please make sure a plan is in place for an authorized person to receive your child at their designated bus stop.
- Review your family emergency plan with your child. Make sure to cover the following:
- Their bus number and bus stop location;
- Who will meet them at their bus stop (WOS students only);
- How they will get into your home (e.g., location of a hidden key, security code once they enter the home); and,
- The names and numbers of who they need to call when they get home
- Be sure to review your family emergency plan with those listed as emergency contacts in your child’s school record.
- Add “communication@socsd.org” as an email contact and verify this address as a trusted sender.
The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and requires continual emergency preparedness planning, practice and review. If you or any of your child’s emergency contacts do not receive a SchoolMessenger email or robocall on the afternoon of Friday, November 8, please contact your child’s school on Tuesday, November 12, to review contact information on file.
Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation.