The Peace Wapiti Public School Division has updated its policy for Buses and School Operation During Inclement Weather.
Students who take the bus in the division will see bus route cancellations if the temperature dips below -40 without a wind chill or -45 with a wind chill. The with wind chill temperature was changed from the previous -48 threshold. According to a post on the division’s Facebook page, students who take the bus also could see bus route cancellations when the temperature is approaching -40.
Outside of weather thresholds, according to the school division “During times of inclement weather, PWPSD’s Director of Transportation, and a Transportation employee located in the northern end of the Division are on call.” Between 4:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., both individuals will follow several steps put in place by the school division to determine whether bus routes should be shut down or not, including checking local weather reports and Alberta 511. Both will also drive between 150 and 200 kilometres of primary and secondary highways in the school district’s boundaries testing skid conditions. After more than two hours of monitoring the superintendent will be informed if all or a section of the bus routes need to be shut down.
The decision will be shared with parents and guardians by a push notification on the Bus Status app, while regional and division-wide cancellations are shared on the PWPSD social media channels.
With the changes to the policy, the school division is issuing a few reminders to students and guardians including reminding them to ensure the student is dressed for the weather. Families are also being asked to know which of the several school zones they are located in as some bus route cancellations could be for just a certain section of highway, a certain zone, or an entire region.
More information on the policy changes can be found here.