February 21-22: NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day Break

February 24: Hobby Fair (More details to come)

Please keep the following in mind to when utilizing the parent/guardian drop-off lane on the west end of the building.

• It is important to stay in line and pull ahead in the lane to keep the traffic moving.
• Students should exit and enter the car on the passenger side; this will ensure student safety as cars are pulling out of the lane. Parents/Guardians, please remain in the vehicle.
• If you are choosing to park instead, students need to be walked to the sidewalk and should not be crossing the parking lot or streets unattended. It is always safest to cross at the patrolled corners.
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THANK YOU for helping us ensure a safe drop-off and pick-up for all of our Roadrunners!

It is important to be prepared for the winter storms and extreme cold that every South Dakota winter brings. Please read the following information so you are aware of the procedures for school related cancellations and postponements.

District leaders rely on experts from the National Weather Service and city/county officials when we make decisions on school cancellations, late starts or early dismissals.

Cancelling School/Late Start

When a severe storm hits the area, or is forecast, we start contacting local officials as early as 3:00 a.m. We communicate with our Operational Services Department, the Weather Bureau, the City Street Department, Sioux Falls Transit, and our transportation contractors. It is our goal to decide whether or not to cancel school by 5 a.m. to allow time for parking lots and sidewalks to be cleared, food services to prepare meals and the bus company to begin operations. In the event that school needs to be cancelled or delayed, families will be alerted via a ParentLink phone call. These calls will generally be sent between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. to accommodate families whose children are picked up by buses at 6:45 a.m. Announcements are also made on the District’s website, Sioux Falls School District social media sites

(Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: http://twitter.com/SFSchools) the SFSD app, and over the local radio and television stations.

Because the public schools have a limited rural area, it is often possible for Sioux Falls to have school when nearby towns may not.

Early Dismissal

Storms occasionally move in during the day, making it necessary to assess whether or not to dismiss school early. We choose early dismissal only under the most extreme circumstances. In most cases, it is safer for students to remain at school due to the need for transportation and proper supervision. In the rare instances when schools are dismissed early, families will receive a ParentLink phone call and the information will appear on the District’s website at www.sf.k12.sd.us, and our Sioux Falls School District social media sites (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: twitter.com/SFSchools ). Announcements are also made over the local radio and television stations.

Notifications refer to dismissal “one hour early” or “two hours early” because of the number of different building schedules. In addition to noting the early dismissal, announcements about evening activities are normally included.

It is very important that every family has a plan for early dismissal. Be sure your student knows where to go in case no one is at home. Parents/Guardians are urged to talk with their student about his/her safety during winter weather emergencies.

Be Safe This Winter

The school system offers these suggestions concerning cold weather and

emergency situations:

1. Listen for a ParentLink phone call regarding school closings, late starts, or early dismissals. Check the District’s website at www.sf.k12.sd.us for updated information.

Follow us on our Sioux Falls School District social media sites (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: twitter.com/SFSchools ) for updated information. Announcements will also be made on local radio and television stations. (Please avoid calling schools or the Instructional Planning Center. Phone lines are needed for emergency communications.)

2. Make sure students are properly dressed for predicted weather conditions so they are prepared for walking or waiting for a bus in the cold or for being delayed on a bus in a weather-related situation.

3. Students should not arrive at school until the scheduled time for outdoor staff supervision or the breakfast program begins.

4. Develop a plan and inform your student about where your student will go if school is dismissed early.

5. School officials will use their best judgment about school closings, late starts, or early dismissals, but please remember that a parent has the right to keep children home or to pick them up from school early if they feel weather conditions require this action.

SCHOOL HOURS:

Breakfast begins in the cafeteria at 7:30 a.m. Students may enter Door H on the playground and go to breakfast. To ensure students have adequate time to eat breakfast and fuel up for the day, please encourage your child to eat first instead of playing on the playground before going to breakfast. Thank you for your help!

Supervision on the playground begins at 7:40 a.m.; if your child is not eating breakfast, please ensure they do not arrive to school prior to 7:40 a.m. to ensure supervision is present.

School Day ends at 2:45 p.m.

LUNCH: This year we will continue the practice of having our lunch tables at reduced capacity. We also are asking that should parents/guardians want to have lunch with their children, they please take the child(ren) out for lunch just as was the practice last year; we will not have visitors in the cafeteria this year in order to maintain our reduced seating capacity. Thank you for your understanding and support.

VOLUNTEERS: All volunteers must complete the appropriate procedures prior to volunteering. If you are completing the unsupervised volunteer/drivers section, it is very important that you complete all the necessary steps at least four weeks prior to the field trip/event to ensure the background check comes back prior to the field trip/event. Here is a link to the registration forms:

http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/images/docs/Volunteers/Adult%20Volunteer%20Registration%20Form%2017-18.pdf

MASKS: Masks are encouraged, not required. For the entire Continue to Learn 21-22 Plan, please click on this link: http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/covid

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS and TREATS: RF/CC is no longer having food items be brought in for birthday treats. Instead, we ask that families use other ways to help celebrate the special day of their children such as donating a book to the class, reading to your child's class, letting your child bring something special to show the class, etc. Our teachers have come up with some fun and phenomenal ways of making the students feel special as well!

Sioux Falls School District's Continue to Learn 21-22 Plan: http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/covid