LPS -- Superintendent's bi-weekly message

Dear Lincoln Public Schools Families,

Well, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures to dip below freezing Saturday night, which means it’s probably a good time for me to send out my annual reminder about inclement weather procedures (i.e., the process for handling potential snow days). In addition, I have a link to my annual notification about the district’s asbestos management plan. 

Inclement weather procedures

It would be lovely if we could go the full winter without any bad weather – and without the need for a snow day decision – but that seems like a pretty low probability wish. Therefore, I wanted to remind you about my process for making a snow day decision, and how a decision will be communicated.

A decision to cancel, delay, or release school early because of weather is first and foremost a decision about safety, and the primary question for me is: Are students able to get to and from school safely? In making that decision, I will be in close communication with our facilities department (who also coordinates with town and Base officials), I will be reviewing forecasts, checking in with our METCO transportation contact, and I will be in communication with superintendents from neighboring communities. 

If I do make a decision to cancel school, I will try to make that decision as early as possible. Ideally, I will be able to communicate a decision the evening prior, but I anticipate that there will be circumstances when I can’t make a final decision until early in the morning. When that happens, my goal will be to get out a communication by 5:00 AM. The decision will be sent via a phone message, an email, and a text message, and we will also post the decision on a variety of local TV stations. Any decision will be a district-wide decision for both the Hanscom and Lincoln Schools. And, while we will be in communication with Base leadership, a decision about schools is separate from a decision about the Base; in other words, it is possible for Base leadership to decide to close Base offices even though the Hanscom School remains open, or vice versa. 

And one final note: no news means that school is running on a regular schedule. So, if you don’t hear anything from me, then school is open!

Asbestos management plan

Finally, each year I provide a notification about asbestos management in our buildings. A copy of this year’s annual notification can be found at this link.

Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend!

Parry Graham

Superintendent