School Closure/Emergency Situation Details

Early dismissals, delayed openings and school closings The Ranney School academic calendar is carefully planned in advance of each school year. The calendar respects the academic requirements and traditions of the school, while also observing major holidays relevant to our school’s community. There are occasions, however, that require an unplanned early dismissal or school closing. Such events are usually due to poor weather conditions. School closings, including early dismissals, due to severe weather conditions, or other exceptional reasons, would cancel all afterschool services and programs. When an early closing, delayed opening or school cancellation occurs, each family will be called by the Ranney School’s Emergency Notification System (RENS). Such information is also posted on the school’s homepage at www.ranneyschool.org and announced on local radio stations (see stations below). Please know early closings and school cancellations are considered serious decisions for the administrative team and are intended for the safety of our students and staff.

In the event of a delayed opening, the school will open at 10:00 a.m., and students shall report to their homeroom. Buses will run on a 90-minute delayed schedule, meaning if your normal pick-up time is 7:30 a.m., you should be at your stop at 9:00 a.m. This includes buses contracted through Ranney School as well as those provided by the municipalities (except Middletown). Middletown buses will follow the schedule established by their school district. Please note that students transported by district-provided buses shall ride at the discretion of that district (see additional district busing details below.)

Radio stations In addition to the Ranney website and RENS notification, please monitor these stations for delayed openings and weather-related closings. Many stations post closings on their websites: • WADB 1310 AM / 94.3 FM • WHTG 1410 AM / 106.3 FM • WOBM 1160 AM / 92.7 FM • WBBO 98.5 FM • WBUD 1260 AM / 101.5 FM

District busing If students are transported by Ranney-managed Jay’s Bus Service (T18 and T07) or Angels Wing Transportation (T01 and T08), the buses will comply with Ranney’s decision regarding any delays or closings.

However, if students rely on school district busing managed by Durham School Services Busing, Vamvas Transportation, Seman Tov Busing or Jay’s Bus Service (Route RS2, RS24, RS25), the situation is different. For example, if Ranney School opens at a normal time but the school district (such as Freehold Regional High School’s district) has a delayed opening, the buses will follow the District delay which means on-time busing will not be provided that day. If Ranney School has a delayed opening and the district is closed, buses will follow the District closing which means there will not be busing provided that day. These decisions are made in the interest of the students for safe travel and meet the standards of private schools whose students travel out of their district.

Parents should listen to radio or visit www.nj1015.com to find out what their district is doing and follow that specific delay. You may also choose to call the Bus Company directly using your Bus Route number. See the chart below for details:

AREA OF SERVICE BUS COMPANY TELEPHONE BUS ROUTE Freehold Regional High School Durham School 732-577-1000 RS175 District which includes Marlboro and Services Freehold Middletown Durham School 732-671-7200 RS-1 Services Brielle, Manasquan, Spring Lake, Vamvas 732-244-1222 RS171 Spring Lake Heights, Belmar and Transportation Service Neptune Monmouth Beach, West Long Jay’s Bus Service 732-994-4240 RS2, RS24 and Branch, Long Branch, Oceanport, RS25 Colts Neck, Marlboro

Holmdel, Allenhurst, Interlaken, Seman Tov 732-774-4000 RS3, RS4, Ocean Township, Rumson, Little RS173, RS174, Silver, Fair Haven, Shrewsbury, and RS/TH1 Colts Neck*. (*Seek decision from Freehold Regional High School District)

If you have additional questions regarding transportation or busing, please contact Dede Joseph in our Operations Department at 732.542.4777, x1167 or [email protected].

Emergency preparedness and communication Ranney School maintains an Emergency Preparedness Plan that was developed with the Tinton Falls Police Department. Ranney School operates a Crisis Management Team which includes various administrators, support staff and local authorities to address all safety and security needs on campus. The details of school drills are carefully reviewed with the faculty and staff, and students are aware of the procedures. Our younger students receive comfort and guidance of their teachers to help them see drills as normal, routine and safe. Fire safety drills are conducted twice per month as regulated by state law. During these regular drills, students are expected to leave the building in a quiet, rapid and orderly fashion. Students will assemble in designated areas until the drill is concluded. Teachers will carry attendance lists at all times during a fire drill. All cellphones must be turned off during a drill.

Lockdown drills are held on a regular basis. During a lockdown, students will remain in the classroom and/or buildings with their teachers until the drill is concluded. In the event of such an emergency, the Tinton Falls Police Department is immediately notified. During fire and/or lockdown drills, security personnel and maintenance staff will shut down the campus to incoming/outgoing traffic. Students, faculty and staff who are off campus will not be allowed to re-enter during these drills.

In case of an extended emergency, the school has secured sufficient provisions (water, nonperishable foods, medical and communications equipment) to keep the entire student body, teachers and staff on campus for hours. In addition, Ranney uses its Emergency Notification System (RENS) to keep parents, students, faculty and staff informed of critical information.

[updated September 2016] DELAYED OPENING Ranney School has implemented the option of a 90-minute delayed opening in addition to the option of a full day closing due when inclement weather affects our community. There are several advantages to a delayed opening. It allows more time for families to shovel driveways, for our maintenance staff to clear the campus, and for municipal road crews to clear roads for safe travel during the morning hours. The also gives the school time to monitor weather conditions and change a delayed opening to a full day closing if necessary.

Should we announce a delayed opening, you will be notified via the Ranney Emergency Notification System (RENS), and full details will be posted on the Ranney School website. In the event of a delayed opening, the school will open at 10:00 a.m., and students shall report to their homeroom. There, we will take attendance and inform our students of that day’s class schedule.

We have arranged with the bus companies, to run their routes on a ninety minute delayed scheduled. So, for example, if your normal pickup time is 7:30 a.m. please be at your stop at 9:00 a.m. This includes the buses contracted through Ranney School as well as those provided by the municipalities.

The buses provided by the municipality may follow the schedule established by the School Districts. For students transported by district provided buses, should your school district announce a delayed opening, but Ranney school does not, please check with your district regarding bus transportation pickup times. Should your school district announce a closing, but Ranney does not, it is your responsibility to arrange for transportation to and from school because the district provided buses will not run.

Notified by:

Radio Stations: NJ 101.5 FM; 94.3 FM The Point

TV Stations: News 12

Websites: www.nj1015.com; www.news12.com District and School websites

September 12, 2016

Dear Parents,

Before the winter ice and snow begins, I want to make sure you are aware of our procedures for school closings/delays as they relate to bus transportation provided by other school districts. If students are transported by Ranney-managed Jay’s Bus Service (T18 and T07) or Angels Wing Transportation (T01 and T08), the buses will follow Ranney’s decision for a closing or delay and operate on those schedules.

However, if your child rides another school district bus managed by Durham, Vamas, Seman Tov, or Jay’s (Route RS2, RS24, RS25), the situation will be different. For example, if Ranney opens on time, but a district such as Freehold Regional has a delay, the buses serving those routes will follow the Freehold district delay. If Ranney has a delayed opening, but your district is closed, the bus will follow the district closing and no busing will be available for your student. Each district makes its own decisions based on the safety of its roads.

Parents should listen to the radio, or visit www.nj1015.com to view district closings and delay information during inclement weather. You will receive a Ranney Emergency Notification System (RENS) alert regarding any Ranney closing or delay. Please text the word "Yes" to number "68453" to ensure that you are signed up for our RENS service this year, even if you have received alerts in the past.

These procedures are standard for all private schools with students coming in from other districts. If you choose to confirm the bus schedule for these instances, please call your child’s Bus Company stating your Bus Route number. See the chart below for contact information:

AREA OF SERVICE BUS COMPANY TELEPHONE NUMBER BUS ROUTE Freehold Regional High Durham School 732-577-1000 RS175 School District which Services includes Marlboro and Freehold Middletown Durham School 732-671-7200 RS-1 Services Brielle, Manasquan, Spring Vamvas 732-244-1222 RS171 Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Transportation Belmar and Neptune Service Monmouth Beach, West Long Jay’s Bus Service 732-994-4240 RS2, RS24 and Branch, Long Branch, RS25 Oceanport, Colts Neck, Marlboro

Holmdel, Allenhurst, Seman Tov 732-774-4000 RS3, RS4, RS173, Interlaken, Ocean Township, RS174, RS/TH1 Rumson, Little Silver, Fair Haven, Shrewsbury, and Colts Neck*. (*Seek decision from Freehold Regional High School District)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 732.542.4777, ext. 1167 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Dede Joseph Transportation Coordinator