It is important to remind ourselves of the school’s procedures in the event of a cyclone.
Advice
In an advice warning, schools remain open, and students are to attend normally
Watch and Act
Alert issued before the commencement of the school day. – students and staff to remain home. Communication will be distributed via SMS and email from the school Principal advising of the school closure.
Alert before 12.00hrs – Following SMS confirmation from the school students can be picked up immediately. Students can only be collected by a parent/guardian from the classroom in Primary and SIDE (11 & 12), PAC (9&10), and Library (7&8) for Secondary. The school will close at 12.00hrs. Students will not be sent home. Parents and guardians are to contact the school and discuss alternative arrangements if they cannot attend the school to collect their child.
Alert after 12.00hrs – Following SMS confirmation from the school students can be picked up immediately. Students can only be collected by a parent/guardian from the classroom in Primary and SIDE (11 & 12), PAC (9&10), and Library (7&8) for Secondary. Students will not be sent home. Parents and guardians are to contact the school and discuss alternative arrangements if they cannot attend the school to collect their child. The school will close at the usual time – 14:35hrs.
Alert at or after 14:00hrs
- The school will be closed the following day.
- A decision to re-open the school is made by the Deputy Director General of schools, in consultation with the Director of Education.
- The principal will be notified if the school can re-open.
- School buses may be affected at this stage.
The closure advice will be repeated each morning until a decision to re-open is announced based on official advice from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
Emergency Warning
The school will remain shut during an Emergency Warning.
- In an emergency warning, the school will remain closed.
- In the event that an emergency warning is cancelled by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the Director of Education, in consultation with the Deputy Director General of schools, will advise when the school can re-open. This will happen only after the site has been inspected by officers from the Department of Finance.
After the Cyclone
- The Department of Finance, in consultation with the principal, will conduct an assessment of the school or site.
- Staff and students cannot return or enter the school or site until this assessment has been completed and the school or site has been given all clear.
- If damage to the school is expected to take two days or more to repair, the Principal and Director of Education, in consultation with the central services appointed incident support coordinator, may consider temporary premises, online education programs, or hardcopy resources.
The closure advice will be repeated each morning until the decision to re-open the school is made.
All information and updated reports relating to warnings and school closures are issued via Emergency WA.
Please keep yourself informed via the Emergency WA website and local radio, until all threats from the cyclone are past.
- https://www.emergency.wa.gov.au/,
- Information line – 13 33 37, Twitter – https://twitter.com/dfes_wa
- ABC Emergency Radio, 6PR