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Preschool staff ask for flexibility and clearer communications during weather delays
Summary
A preschool staff member asked the board for discretion to keep preschool open on certain delayed-start days because preschool children are typically transported by parents and the families are still billed; the board agreed better communications and clear definitions of "closed campus" are needed.
A preschool staff member told the MSD Shakamak board that preschool families are usually not bused and are transported directly by parents, and therefore asked for flexibility to run preschool on some delayed-start days. "With preschool... I do not even attempt to have preschool. The 2 hour delays are where I would like a little bit of flexibility," the staff member said, explaining that parents still pay for care and rely on clear communications.
The board discussed options such as setting preschool on a different delay schedule (for example, a one-hour delay when the rest of the district is on a two-hour delay) and asked staff to clarify communications channels so preschool families receive direct notices. The chair also noted a financial implication: preschool families are billed for service days even when schools are closed, which increases the need for predictable messaging. Administrators were asked to incorporate preschool-specific language into the administrative guidelines for weather decisions.
