Superintendent, board address concerns about school's emergency plan

The decision to dismiss classes 15 minutes early, as a severe storm moved into the area, May 12, was a topic of discussion during the Summerland Board of Education’s May 17 meeting.

A wall of dirt and debris swept through the region, mid-afternoon, on May 12.

Classified as a derecho by the National Weather Service, storm created blackout conditions, brought heavy rains and hail and seemed to build in intensity.

A derecho is described as a quick-moving line of thunderstorms coupled with a windstorm. NWS defines a derecho as a storm with gusts of more than 58 mph, with a damage swath which extends more than 240 miles, in a 60-mile wide path.

According to the National Weather Service in Omaha/Valley, wind gusts of 60 to 80 miles per hour were reported.

During the public comment period of the meeting, district patron Samantha Erb addressed board of education members regarding communication when an emergency plan is in use.

Erb said, “The decision on Thursday, it is what it is at this point ... I didn’t know where my kid was.”

Erb said she communicated via email with all board members and administrators and received one response.

“My child thought he was going to die on the bus. I think everybody should’ve sent me something,” Erb said.“It’s pretty hurtful, actually, because you’re all here for me and I was concerned for my son’s life.”

Superintendent Kyle Finke outlined the decision to dismiss school early that day.

Finke and elementary principal Cathy Cooper were in a meeting when administrative assistant, Carol Thiele, informed administration a potential storm was building.

“At that point, I had not had any indication on my phone that any weather was coming in,” Finke said.

After stepping outside and surveying the situation, Finke said he made a judgement to dismiss school and get students on their respective bus routes.

“Obviously, that was not the right decision. Luckily, everyone returned home safely,” he said.

He noted he did not contact other superintendents, a practice which occurs during winter months as snow blankets the area.

Finke said he has discussed the incident with members of the administrative team. One idea was to purchase a weather radio, so office personnel are kept abreast of developing storms.

“We had talked about updating our school emergency plan,” Finke said. “We were planning on working on that the first week of June. Obviously, this puts some precedence on moving this forward.”

School guidance counselors will be included in those discussions.

Nate Schwager asked if the school buses have two-way radio capability.

Finke said he did send an all-call message to all bus drivers the day of the storm.

Elementary Principal Cathy Cooper said cell phone service is also a concern. She realized, while helping bring students, whose buses did not leave school grounds, back in the building, she was unable to communicate with the office. Several parents who were on site to pick up their children also took shelter in the school.

A school phone was not available on the lower level. Cooper said that will be addressed while updating the emergency plan.

“I had nothing. There was no way I could communicate, even with Mr. Finke who was upstairs,” Cooper said.

Candice Hoke said a phone needs to be available in that area, especially if it is the emergency shelter.

According to Finke, a power surge affected the school’s Wi-Fi service during the storm.

“I had to reboot that. It was back up around 6 p.m.,” Finke said.

A text message was sent via the JMC system, at approximately 4:28 p.m., noting that all buses and students were accounted for and advised high school athletes, who were competing in the district track meet, in Atkinson, that trees and power lines were down in the area.

Schwager said several staff members had contacted him regarding the message sent over the school’s intercom system, noting that all staff and students are dismissed immediately.

Schwager said, “They had no idea what was going on. They’d been teaching all day ... We have to let people know what’s going on. It could’ve been fire, an intruder, nobody knew what was going on.”

Finke acknowledged Schwager’s concern. He said he instructed office personnel to make an all-call notice.

Board member Steven Thiele addressed Erb’s concerns, noting he checks email several times a day.

“As a board member, I don’t get the facts on this until we come to a meeting ... I can safely say we aren’t ignoring you. We just haven’t had a chance to discuss it and get the facts.”