C30. Emergency School Closures

C30. Emergency School Closures  

30a. Determining the Need to Close the Building 

Foothills Academy will always ensure to make decisions based upon student, staff and parent safety.  Using the information at our disposal, all decisions to close school will focus foremost upon the safety of all.  Provincial alerts, media announcements, administrative judgement, and collaboration with other Independent Schools, will be ways in which we determine to close for weather related issues or other emergencies.  Based upon the above parameters, it will be the responsibility of school administration and the Executive Director(s) to close the school.  Decisions will be made in a timely manner, so that parents can be notified of closures before the first busses pick up students.  Staff should be prepared to receive calls by 6am, in order to be able to follow the communication lines provided yearly in the call-out fan to inform students and parents of the closure.  There may be times when school is closed but staff may still be required to attend, but typically school closures will result in only having a skeleton crew of staff in the building to intercept any students or families who may not have been aware of the closure.  

30b. Providing At-Home Learning Without In-Person Option

This policy outlines the conditions, procedures, and safeguards under which the school may provide at-home learning without offering an in-person learning option, in accordance with Alberta Education’s In-person Learning Regulation (Alta Reg 13/2025).

The school may offer at-home learning without an in-person option if:

• There are circumstances that threaten the safe operation of the school building (e.g., structural damage, environmental hazard such as a gas leak, inclement weather), as determined by senior administration.
• It is reasonably necessary to restrict access to the building; as determined by senior administration.

The school may offer a combination of at-home learning and in-person if:

• Only part of the school can be accessed safely (e.g., access to heat, water, power)
• Access to technology is compromised for part of the school.

It is reasonably necessary to restrict particle access to the building; as determined by senior administration.

When the school building is inaccessible, school administration will seek alternative learning spaces where students could attend school; prior to switching to at-home learning.  These will include, but not be limited to:

• Parkdale community centre
• Free space in local buildings such as the Cambrian Centre at 1000 Veterans Place NW

Other spaces as deemed reasonably appropriate by senior administration

When at-home learning takes place, the school will make reasonable efforts to:

• Maintain the student’s educational program and courses.
• Preserve instructional progress and access to learning resources; maintaining sound assessment and evaluation practices to ensure good progress monitoring, and sustaining attendance records.
• Ensure equitable access for students with diverse learning needs; including providing all students with appropriate technology.
• Ministerial Notification and Approval

The principal, following consultation with the Executive Director(s), may temporarily determine the need to transition to at-home learning when circumstances threaten the safe operation of all or part of the building, and at-home learning without an in-person learning option is for 3 consecutive days or less. 

Where classes are cancelled due to short term emergent situations such as inclement weather, a gas leak or a power outage, there is no requirement for the school to request an exemption to the In-Person Learning Regulation.

When at-home learning begins, the Minister must be notified within 48 hours.

When in-person learning resumes, the Minister must be notified within 48 hours.

At-home learning will not continue beyond 3 days unless senior administration and the board are satisfied that it is necessary to continue to restrict access to the school.  Or if the Minister has made an order authorizing the board to do so.  

Public Health

When fulfilling the responsibilities of the In-Person Learning Regulation, when concerns exist about limiting or preventing spread of any communicable disease as defined in the Public Health Act, the principal and staff shall respect choices made by parents and students to either wear or not wear a face mask or any other face covering.

The Public Health Act remains the overarching direction on all public health matters and may prevail over the Education Act.  The principal and Executive Director(s) and all staff shall always cooperate with public health authorities in managing emergencies and will adhere to all applicable orders of Alberta Health Services or emergency officials.  

This will be published on the school’s website and included in the parent handbook.