Emergency Weather Warnings Procedures Hong Kong weather can be extreme and this sometimes requires that we modify our school schedules. As always, parents are advised to use their best judgment in determining whether to send their children to school whenever the weather is inclement or road conditions make travel to school unwise. The Education Bureau makes a decision before 6 a.m. on such mornings and distributes this information to the media. Under normal circumstances HKIS follows the Government’s recommendation and will not contact parents directly. Parents are responsible for checking DragonNet for any announcements. What we do when the signal is raised before school starts: Typhoon 1
All R1-12 classes are in session.
Typhoon 2
R1 classes are cancelled. R2-12 classes are in session.
Typhoon 8 and above
The campus is closed - all classes will take place in Home Learning.
Amber Rainstorm
All R1-12 classes are in session.
Red Rainstorm
The campus is closed - all classes will take place in Home Learning.
Black Rainstorm
The campus is closed - all classes will take place in Home Learning.
Please note there are times when localized weather conditions on the south side of the island are very different from territory-wide predictions. In circumstances where HKIS needs to take action that is different from the Government’s recommendation, we will contact parents as early as possible and place an announcement on DragonNet. If the signal is raised on the way to school parents should decide whether it is safer to return home or continue to school. Generally speaking, HKIS will wait for an official announcement from Hong Kong’s Education Bureau before notifying the community about school closures (due to bad weather or health considerations such as flu outbreaks). On occasion, these announcements take time to come out, and, in that time, some news outlets and community members try to anticipate whether the Education Bureau will close schools or not. Please rest assured that HKIS will contact parents and employees with news of any closure once official word has been received. When a typhoon or rainstorm signal is raised during school hours: At times a typhoon increases in intensity or a rainstorm signal is raised while the children are at school. If this happens, we will use the following procedures: Typhoon 1
All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times.
Typhoon 3
All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times
Typhoon 8 and above
All R1-12 classes will be dismissed. (The notice of typhoon 8 signal being raised is given to schools several hours before it is actually hoisted, thus allowing schools enough time to make arrangements to get students home safely.)
Amber Rainstorm
All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times.
Red Rainstorm
All R1-12 classes will remain in session AND* students will remain in school until conditions are safe for them to return home.
Black Rainstorm
All R1-12 classes will remain in session AND* students will remain in school until conditions are safe for them to return home.
* This means students will not be released until the warning has been removed and buses are authorized for safe travel, which could be after 3 p.m. Please note that the HK government strongly advises everyone to stay indoors during a Black Rainstorm warning. Driving yourself or sending someone to pick up your child during a Black Rainstorm signal is extremely dangerous and not advisable. If Red/Black rain signal is after 3:05 p.m. then students report to MS Cafeteria.
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