Emergency Operating Schedule

When emergency conditions such as snow and ice, windstorms or earthquakes result in school schedule changes, the district will use plans developed for school closures, late start, and limited bus service. Read more about these procedures here.
Communicating Emergencies and Closures

The district uses School Messenger, a parent notification system, to reach parents with routine and emergency messages. Learn when parents will get messages and how to change which phone or email they go to here.
​In Case of Bad Weather

To ensure that all families know when school has been cancelled or delayed, Lake Washington School District will place a call to all parents via School Messenger beginning at 6 a.m. on those days. If you need to know whether school has been cancelled or delayed before you get a call, the information will also be available on this website or at flashalert.net or on many local television or radio stations. The calls are made early so that students at the high schools, which may begin class as early as 7:20, have enough time to get to school.
Make sure you can be reached in an emergency

​Control how the school and district contact you for emergencies, attendance calls, food service balance notifications and other communications through Skylert. If preferences are not changed through Skylert, LWSD will use the phone numbers, email addresses and text-capable numbers the district has on file to contact you using standard notification protocols.  For instructions on how to complete the Skylert process click here.
FlashAlert

​The FlashAlert system distributes emergency messages such as breaking news, weather closure information, early dismissal and news releases from LWSD and other organizations. To sign up:
  • Go to FlashAlert.net
  • Click on Seattle on State Map
  • click on King County Schools
  • Click on Lake Washington School District
  • ​Enter email(s) to subscribe to the free service
McAuliffe Procedures for a Shortened School Day

The following procedures will be in place should LWSD shorten the school day due to inclement weather.

Parent Notification: 
• Parents will be notified of early release by school district via phone, email and/or text.
• District will post an alert (red alert box) on district and McAuliffe website
• Parents will be reminded of our school’s early release procedures via email. 


Student Release Procedures:
​• Parents are to pick up students at the outside classroom doors. 
• Teachers will release students to parents or emergency contact. 
• Teachers will verify that the person picking up the student is listed as a parent or emergency contact on the student’s emergency card. 
• Teachers may ask for ID, if needed. 
• Teachers will have parents sign out the student. 
• If the adult picking up the student is not listed as an emergency contact the teacher will send them to the office. The front office will then call the parent/guardian to get a verbal “ok” to release the student. 

You may check your emergency contact information for your child on Skyward Family Access. Parents are allowed 5 emergency contacts. Please email Kathleen Jeffcoat at kjeffcoat@lwsd.org if you would like to change or update your emergency contact information.
Emergency Preparedness Resources

Check out the following resources to help you and your family be prepared should an emergency occur. ​
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School, 23823 NE 22nd St., Sammamish, WA 98074
If we are missing something on our web site that you would like to see, 
email us at website@mcauliffeptsa.org