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Emergency Closures

The decision to close the school, or delay the start of school, is not taken lightly; as working parents ourselves we understand the inconvenience it causes. Our decision is always based on the protocol adopted by the Bellevue and Issaquah School Districts. CHA has staff and parents coming from a wide geographic area; even if conditions are good where you are, that might not be the case for the rest of our community. Please refer to the Parent Handbook > Safety, Security and Emergencies to see the factors that we take account of when making the decision to close the school, and to find answers to the questions you may have.

We will use the following methods to let you know if CHA is on an emergency schedule:

Situation: Late Start

If CHA is on a late start, the school will open at 10 a.m. Please drop off between 10:00 and 10:30. The classes will start at 10:30. There will be no a.m. Extended Day. The kitchen will be closed, so please bring a sack lunch. Parents who ordered a hot lunch will not be charged. Students should report to homeroom on arrival. Please do not attempt to enter the building before 10:00 as it may be alarmed.

Situation: School Closed

If CHA is closed, there will be no school, no childcare and no extracurricular activities. 

Situation: Early Dismissal

If CHA is on early dismissal, all extracurriculars and p.m. Extended Day are canceled. Parents should come and collect their child(ren) as soon as possible so that families and staff can get home safely.

NOTES

  • Day one of a closure will always be a snow day. On Day two we will ask teachers to provide some optional activities to help working parents who are looking for help keeping their children engaged in their academics even while they are not physically at school. 
  • Students must bring a sack lunch when school reopens after a closure.
  • Extracurricular rescheduling or refunds will be handled by the vendor.
  • Keep your contact information up to date to receive emergency alerts via Jupiter. 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

CHA is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, families, and staff. In order to provide the high standards we have adopted, the following systems have been put in place:

• Earthquake Preparedness Program - Emergency supplies including food, shelter, tools, and means of communication are stored in an easily accessible common area. Earthquake drills are held and practiced separately from fire drills. Each year, Chestnut Hill Academy participates in The Great Washington Shakeout to better prepare the school staff and students in the event of an earthquake.

• Register with FlashAlert to receive alerts regarding school closures and emergencies. If you do need to call the Ready to Respond hotline, please be prepared to provide the following information:

Bright Horizons Ready to Respond number is 800-420-1970, Center Number CHA - 0872 Division CHA – 12

Listen to local radio and television stations for updates. Should we request you pick up your student, come to the front office. Support staff may not recognize you and will not release your student unless proper identification is presented. No student will be dismissed on his or her own accord. If you are not able to return for your student and you have no alternate person to send, please call the Ready-to-Respond number so we can plan accordingly for those students who may require long-term assistance.