Monroe Montessori School
School Closure Policy

Sometimes the weather makes it necessary to close school.

If school will be closed for the day the best place to find out the latest information is on the morning television news between 6:30-8:00 a.m. (KING TV, KOMO TV, KIRO TV) It will specifically state on the ticker at the bottom of the page that Monroe Montessori School is closed.

If our school is operating on its normal schedule, this information will not be show up on the morning news channels.

If we announce we are starting 1 hour late then before school care will begin at 8:00 instead of 7:00 with classes starting between 9:30-9:45.

You will know we are starting one hour late because it will specifically state on the morning news that Monroe Montessori School is starting one hour late.

What if I need to know if your going to be open or closed before 6:00 a.m.?
For parents needing to make a decision to seek alternative care before our earliest announcement time, our policy in general is if the surrounding school districts ( Monroe School District , Sultan School District , Snohomish School District)
close due to winter driving conditions then we are closed. (typically 6-12" of snow throughout the entire region)

Regardless of what other schools decide, to be sure Monroe Montessori School is closed watch the news ticker on KOMO, KIRO and KING TV.

If it snows and Monroe School District cancels school our school is closed
When the surrounding area schools close we typically close. An official announcement of our school being closed will be listed on the local television news channels between 6:30-8:00 a.m. Baring unforeseen circumstances in getting to the school computer network we will do our best to quickly put information up on the school website  for you to view.

If the School Districts in the area announce their buses are running two hours late do you match their late start?

We do not match a 2 hour late start.  We start on time or on occasion 1 hour late.

Sometimes Monroe, Sultan or Snohomish School Districts will decide to delay the start of their schools because of bus navigation issues in certain neighborhoods.  Because we are not dealing with buses we often start on time.  On occasion if our school is going to start one hour late we will announce it on the news and post it on the school website.

Do you match the schools when they announce no morning kindergarten/ no ecap or no out of district transportation?

The public schools may announce no morning kindergarten/ecap preschool classes. On these special weather days our school may choose to operate on time or announce a one hour delayed start. We do not start 2 hours late nor do we match their kindergarten/ecap preschool or out of district transportation closure schedule.

Often I don't have power after a storm. How do I know if you are open when some schools in the area are closed or starting late?
The power at our school seldom goes out. If you do not see any messages on TV or information on the home page of our school website stating that we are closed then we are OPEN, our lights are on and we are operating on a normal schedule. Sometimes surrounding school districts have to deal with one or more of their outlying school buildings being temporarily without power after a winter storm. Rather than have one or two district buildings closed while the rest are open they will close all classrooms and or delay the starting time.

I live on a hill. Is it okay if I bring my child late on these special days?
Travel conditions vary greatly depending on your neighborhood and type of vehicle you drive. You are welcome to bring your child to class late (up to 3 hours) on these special weather days even though school has already started. If you need to talk to your child's teacher you can reach them directly by using the classroom direct line. 794-0827. (A list of extension numbers is located on the home page of the website. www.monroemontessori.com) Please be patient as the teachers may be busy greeting arriving students.

If there is a flood do you close?
Every few years a fall storm may cause flooding problems in the low lying areas of the Skykomish Valley. Where our school is located it does not flood. If the major roadways in and out of Monroe are open we will make every effort to open on time. Families living towards Duvall, certain areas of Sultan, and or along the Old Monroe Snohomish Road may have difficulty navigating flooded roadways . Roads often quickly improve as flood waters subside . Your child is welcome to come late if needed. As a rule we will start on time unless an official announcement is posted on television between 6:30-8:00 a.m. stating that Monroe Montessori School is closed or starting one hour late.

If there is an earthquake do you close?
If overnight earthquake tremors caused no damage to the building or roads we are open. If the earthquake happens while school is in session we follow a standard safety procedure to access if the building is safe to occupy. If it is not, we will notify you by calling your home, your cell phone, your workplace and your emergency contact numbers as needed. If the earthquake causes severe damage we follow our emergency preparation plan and would set up a Reconcilation Station in front of Building B. Your child would remain safely at school until you arrived. You would then go directly to the Reconcilation Station and check in before a staff member would bring your child to you.

Do you ever cancel classes after school has begun?
We seldom cancel classes once the school day has begun unless weather conditions rapidly change or a major power outage causes the city to be without power for more than 2 hours. Your child's teacher will call you at home, on your cell phone and or at work to personally notify you if we are closing early. Any student unable to be picked up would remain at school in Room B1 with Mrs. Washburn until you are safely able to arrive. If a neighbor or friend is picking up your child and is not already on your emergency pick-up list you filled out at the start of the year, please call the classroom direct line at 794-0827 to speak to the teacher.

Where is the best place to find out the latest information about school closures and make up days?
The best place to check when the weather takes a turn for the worse is on the morning television news and or on the school website. If we officially close we will make up the day later in the year. The school calendar lists make up days. A link to the
school calendar can be found on the home page of the school website.