Emergency Notification and Inclement Weather FAQ

Emergency Procedures

To support the District’s efforts to ensure the safety of our staff and students, we partner with the Northern York County Regional Police and the York County Office of Emergency Management to maintain emergency preparedness and up-to-date practices. Fire, lockdown, and shelter-in-place drills are conducted periodically for continued awareness and familiarity by staff and students.

For more information on our emergency and safety procedures, please visit our School Safety and Belonging webpage.

Emergency Communication & Family Procedures

During any school emergency, our top priority is to keep students and staff safe while ensuring accurate and timely communication with families. We understand these situations can be stressful, and we ask for your partnership in following the steps below to help us manage the situation effectively and safely.

What Families Should Do During an Emergency

To protect everyone involved and allow emergency responders and school staff to focus on safety, please keep the following in mind:

Do not come to the school until you are instructed by the district. Extra visitors and vehicles can interfere with emergency response efforts.
Do not call the school offices during an emergency. Phone lines must stay open for coordination with first responders.
Do not contact your child or staff members by cell phone during an emergency. This can interrupt critical safety procedures and create confusion.
Do not rely on social media for emergency information.
- Social media posts can spread rumors or incomplete information, and staff are often unable to respond in real time. Except for inclement weather announcements, official information will be shared only through our automated phone, email, and text notifications, as well as the district website. Please wait for verified updates before taking action or sharing information online.

How You’ll Receive Information

When it is safe to do so, the district will share verified updates through:

Phone, text, and email alerts via our automated notification system
District website homepage alerts and updates

You will be notified of when and where to pick up your child as soon as it is safe and practical to do so.

Student Release After an Emergency

If students need to be released to parents or guardians following an emergency, our reunification process will be used to ensure safety and accountability:

Please bring valid photo identification when picking up your child.
Students will only be released to individuals listed as emergency contacts in the Sapphire Community Web Portal.
Make sure your contact and emergency information in Sapphire is current and accurate so you can be reached promptly.

Emergency & Inclement Weather Notifications

Our primary method of reaching parents and guardians is the district’s automated messaging system. This is utilized to share information with parents’ or guardians’ home numbers and/or any alternative numbers provided for this purpose.

Additionally, school closures, virtual learning days, school delays, early dismissals, and late buses will be announced on WGAL TV-8, FOX43, CBS21, and ABC-27. We also use Facebook, email, and text messages to send important, time-sensitive information.

Please ensure your correct contact information is in the Sapphire Notification System for all communication modes, especially phone numbers and emails.

How to Update Your Phone and Email in Sapphire

Inclement Weather FAQ

Deciding to close schools is typically never an easy call for the district to make. Of utmost concern is the safety of our students, which is always our top priority when making any decision that impacts families, students, and academics.

How is the decision made to close or delay school?

As soon as inclement weather appears in the forecast, SGASD officials begin to carefully monitor the weather projections and prepare for the potentially bad weather.

When meteorologists predict snow or ice that may impact travel, SGASD officials are communicating by 4:00 AM to ascertain current conditions and carefully analyze what the rest of the day may bring. During this time, we are having conversations with multiple authorities and road crews within the District’s townships and boroughs, along with the local police departments.

Status reports from all of these individuals are critical when deciding to delay or close schools. Once all of the information is gathered and the decision is made, SGASD officials begin to disseminate the announcement, usually by 6:00 AM. In the case of a two-hour delay, SGASD officials continue to monitor the forecast for changes in weather conditions that could warrant a switch from a two-hour delay to a school closing.

How can I found out if SGASD schools are closing or delaying?

The weather does not seem bad where I live. Why are SGASD schools closed?

SGASD is a large district encompassing about 92 square miles with varying geography. The particular area where you live may not have experienced much precipitation; however, another part of the district may have experienced much worse conditions. The district must consider the harshest conditions when deciding to close or delay.

Snow is not the only type of weather to consider. Freezing temperatures and extreme wind chills may also make it unsafe for students to stand outside at bus stops.

School is in session, but I do not think it's safe to send my child to school. What do I do?

Ultimately, it is the parent or guardian's decision whether to send their child to school. If you feel it is unsafe to send your child to school due to weather conditions, please use your best judgment. If you decide to keep your child home, please submit your student's digital excuse card through the Sapphire Community Web Portal, as outlined in the Student Parent Handbook.

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