Severe Weather, Emergencies, and Non-scheduled School Closings
When NYC public schools announce they will close because of snow, severe weather, or another citywide situation, Brooklyn Friends will close also. We will post this announcement on our website and on the telephone greeting.
On the occasions when NYC public schools are NOT IN SESSION (due to school vacations or holidays) and BFS is open, the BFS administration will make a determination on school closings and/or early dismissal in the event of severe weather or another emergency situation.
If the decision to close the school is made by the administration overnight or early in the morning, the automated telephone system will be used to call every family. The announcement will be on the school’s website and telephone greeting.
In the event that the administration decides during the school day to close school early, families will be notified by the automated telephone system, by e-mail, and through announcements on the school’s website and telephone greeting. There will be NO afterschool, athletic practices or games, rehearsals, or evening events whenever the school closes early.
Emergency Preparedness Plan
The School has made preparations to deal effectively with emergency situations that could occur in or around the school, both during the school day and during after-hours activities. While we hope that a natural disaster or other serious incident never occurs, our goal is to be prepared for any potential emergency. At all times, our first priority is to protect all students and staff from harm.
The actions taken during any type of emergency situation depend on the specifics of the incident. At BFS, all administrators, faculty, staff, and students (age appropriately) learn about and practice the four levels of security procedures to be followed in an emergency situation: Evacuation, Shelter-in, Lock Down, and Lock-Out.
COMMUNICATION WITH BFS FAMILIES
The school will employ the following means of communication with BFS families in an emergency situation:
- Announcements will be made via the school phone system (recording), e-mail system, and website, www.brooklynfriends.org.
- If necessary, we will activate an automated calling service to families.
HOW FAMILIES CAN HELP
- Please check your e-mail and the school website first in the event of a citywide emergency before telephoning the school. It is essential that the BFS telephone system be available for emergency communications.
- Make sure that we have emergency contact information for your children at all times. We must be able to contact you or your designated representative in an emergency.
- Do not come to the school until instructed to do so. It may be necessary to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles.