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Board presses district on storm safety, emergency phone number and Chromebook access
Summary
After a storm, board members pressed staff about uncleared exits at Spring Valley High School, the discontinued Infofone emergency phone line, and access to Chromebooks and hotspots; staff said custodians cleared exits, the Infofone system is not working, and the district delivered about 100 hotspots last week.
Board members raised student-safety concerns after a recent storm, reporting that exits at Spring Valley High School were not cleared of snow during a fire alarm. "When we were made aware of this this morning, we immediately called the head custodians at every building to double check every exit of the building," said Eric Stark, who added that "we have cleared all of the exits at Spring Valley High School" and estimated "95% of the exits at the rest of the schools had been cleared properly." Staff apologized and said they would prevent a repeat.
A board member asked whether the Infofone phone number that families previously used for emergency closings still worked; Bobin Gandhi said Infofone "hasn't worked" and that a number shown on a prior board slide had been removed. Gandhi said he would look into whether a phone-based option could be restored.
Gandhi also explained Chromebook and hotspot procedures: "Every student needs a Chromebook" for instructional purposes; a first replacement during the school year is free, a second replacement costs $50, and families should request replacements through the main office. He said the district had "about 100" hotspots delivered across buildings the prior week and urged families without home internet to contact their school's main office.
Board members asked staff to consider bringing students' Chromebooks home before a potential remote day and to communicate clearly in advance about closures and access options.
