With the temperatures starting to feel a bit chilly, it's timely that we communicate our DNI Snow Day/Late Start procedures, detailed below.

DNI Snow Days and Late Starts Procedure

We will never post messages on facebook, radio or email unless there is a CHANGE to our normal start time. I'm sure you can appreciate that on a questionable morning there is a power of work that takes place behind the scenes to determine if it's safe for students to get to school, and secondly whether we can staff the school. If by 7.30am we determine that it's business as usual then you won't hear from us so you can assume everything is normal. 

If however school is starting late or closed please find further information below:

Citywide late starts/closures: If the conditions are widespread then the Otago Primary Principals Association will make a city wide call, we have no control over this and will update you as we know. This will be advertised on facebook, radio, our website and we'll email you. 

Individual late starts/closures: If the conditions are variable across the city then individual schools must make a decision. This takes time, and it is dark when we start the process. We do understand that this process can be frustrating, however, we can not control the weather and we do our best to balance the safety of the staff and students with not interrupting your work day unnecessarily. If we are pressured to make the call too early then we are prone to making errors. Sometimes we begin with a late start so that we can assess the conditions once it gets light. In this instance there will be communication about this by 7.30am and we'll aim to have staff at school and the doors open 30 minutes before the advertised opening time (so 9.30am for a 10am start).

If we are going to update a late start to a closure we'll make this decision by 8.30am so we ask that you do not send children to school before 8.30am on a day we've advertised a late start.  

In both instances this will be advertised on facebook, radio, our website and we'll email you. 

Ultimately individual safety of students is at the discretion of parents and caregivers who need to consider their own circumstances and whether it is safe to travel to school. If you decide not to send your child then just phone the office and let us know. 
 

Bus information:

• The buses are out of our control and many of them run at normal time regardless of whether we are starting late. Please be aware that on late start days you should plan to get your children to school independently of the bus. Please DO NOT send children on the bus, regardless of whether it is running until you know that school will be opening. We will make this decision by 8.30am.