SEVERE WEATHER PLAN

As with any activity involving students and travel, safety is the foremost concern when decisions are made.  Severe weather is a distinct possibility during the competition season.  In 1993 the following Severe Weather Plan was adopted by KAAC:

Prior to the competition, the Contest Manager must have in place an alternate competition schedule that would be enacted in cases of severe weather.  The alternate date and schedule must meet the following requirements:

 1.  At the Competition Planning Meeting, all participating schools must be allowed input on the alternate date and schedule.  Any school not attending the meeting must be informed of the alternate date and schedule.

 2.  All events in the middle grades and high school divisions must be completed, weather permitting, by the Friday following the scheduled competition date.

 3.  In the elementary division, all events must be completed within two full weeks following the originally scheduled competition date.

Since travel conditions may vary within a district or region, the decision to delay or postpone the competition rests with the local Contest Manager.  Communication and advance planning will eliminate frustration on the part of all participating schools. Two options are available when severe weather exists:

 1.  The competition may operate on a delayed basis, beginning later in the day.

 2.  The Contest Manager may enact the alternate date and schedule agreed upon at the Competition Planning Meeting.

The same questions and exams are used at all sites, regardless of the date of the competition. KAAC relies on the integrity of the Contest Manager, officials and coaches in maintaining the confidentiality of competition materials.

Contest managers must contact the participating coaches and schools if severe weather forces a change in the competition schedule.  The Contest Manager should also contact local and regional radio and television stations to announce a delay or postponement.  All Contest Managers should be aware of the travel time required by the participating schools and plan such decisions accordingly.  The Contest Manager should provide a home telephone number for direct contact by coaches.

The timing of the decision to delay or postpone competition should reflect the severity of the weather conditions in the area.  If extreme weather conditions exist on the order of the 1993 March blizzard, the decision could be made as early as Friday morning.  In most cases, however, an early Saturday decision is best.  One year several districts were postponed because of an inaccurate forecast; the Contest Managers made their decision too early and the competition was needlessly delayed.  Please remember, however, that the safety of the students is our primary concern; it is better to be overly cautious than to jeopardize their safety.