Another COVID-related death in Grande Prairie, 11 new cases and 10 recoveries
In the province today, 1,155 new cases were identified from over 17,000 tests, meaning we…
With winter now in session, Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD) reminds families to prepare for the possibility of bus cancellations and to ensure students are always dressed for the weather.
Superintendent Bob Stewart says a lot of thought goes into deciding to shut down all bus routes.
“During times of inclement weather, Ted Gobin, Director of Transportation, and a Transportation employee in the northern end of the division are both on call,” adds Mr. Stewart. “Between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., Mr. Gobin consults with local weather reports and Alberta511. By 4:30 a.m., and over the course of the next two hours, both employees drive the primary and secondary highways throughout PWPSD’s attendance boundaries, covering approximately 150 to 200 kilometers each, while performing braking tests to determine skid conditions.”
As the delegated authority to shut down all bus routes, or a section of routes, Mr. Gobin will make a decision by 6:30 a.m. and then notify the Superintendent. Local radio stations pull individual route updates from PWPSD’s online School Bus Route Notifier, a place where families can also sign up for email notifications on the status of one or more routes. Regional and division-wide cancellations are shared on PWPSD’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. Some drivers may call individual homes, and the division may opt to send out automated phone messages. Given the size of the school division, weather conditions can be unacceptable in one section, but fine in other areas.
“In addition to cancelled routes, drivers will not pick up students on primary or secondary highways when weather conditions, such as heavy fog, have created a situation of limited or no visibility,” adds Mr. Gobin. “This decision is left to the driver’s discretion, and families will be notified by telephone. We also encourage parents to call their bus driver or PWPSD’s Transportation Office if they feel weather conditions have made their stop dangerous. If buses are cancelled when travel to extracurricular events is planned, such as sports tournaments or field trips, parents should check with their school on the status of the trip. Inclement weather en route to the event, or at the destination, may also impact the decision to allow students to travel.”
