DETAILS REGARDING WEATHER EVENT
Original email message appears at bottom. 

Important note about other schools
Local public school districts make weather decisions based upon their bus service, because in higher winds, buses act like sails to catch the wind. *3
-    LPA does not utilize buses. 
-    Other private schools choose to automatically follow public schools’ weather calls.
-    For tomorrow, some local districts discussed shifting their faculty in-service day to tomorrow, as a precaution. If you learn of other schools closing tomorrow, buses are the reason for that precaution.

*1 LPA monitors: 
-    NOAA weather bands radio for watches and warnings
-    York County Office of Emergency Management communications and briefs
-    York County Emergency Warning System (strategically-placed warning horns):
-    Citizen weather apps and sites: Weather Underground, Weather Bug, Weather Channel, etc.

*2 Safe rooms 
-    Safe areas for weather events (code gray) are those within the downstairs core.
-    These central rooms feature concrete block walls, cement ceilings, and reinforced steel supports. 
-    Code gray rooms include conference rooms 6 & 7, both bathrooms, and the science / sink closet.

*3 Public schools decisions are “bus” decisions
-    It is important to realize that public school districts make weather decisions based upon their bus service. 
-    Buses run all day, not only for student morning and afternoon transportation, but also for shuttling students to various programs and facilities. 
-    Because they are so large, public school districts often make sweeping, binary decisions, because it is the most simple approach. 
-    Other private schools choose to automatically follow public schools’ weather calls.
-    Lake Pointe retains the freedom and flexibility to make common sense decisions, including more conservative ones. 
-    LPA does not operate buses, and so academy leaders make decisions based upon personal vehicle driving conditions and family and faculty drivers.

ORIGINAL MESSAGE

Weather alert statement
Re: Monday, March 16, 2026

To all families and faculty:

High winds are expected to accompany rain tomorrow. 
This may turn out to be a little to nothing development, but we want you to be aware. 
Along with local school leaders this afternoon, I attended a video briefing from county emergency officers. 
Please see details below and expect text messages for any immediate updates. 
More details can be found by clicking here.
Thanks for reading and noting how this affects you. – L. Lemmon

Tomorrow’s weather forecasts call for a front to pass through. 
-    Higher than normal winds are expected.
-    Quite breezy, with sustained winds of 13-17 mph. 
-    Gusts are expected to be into the 30’s mph. 
-    There is around a ten percent chance of tornadoes.

Our mode: normal schedule with high monitoring
-    The campus location is in an area expecting a LOW probability of events. 
-    Therefore, we will operate on normal schedule.

As usual in such weather events: 
-    Academy staff will be continuously monitoring weather information. *1
-    Staff will also monitor skies visually during watches or warnings. 
-    Students may be shifted to areas away from glass windows as a precaution.
-    In case of an actual event, students and staff will be moved to safety rooms.*2

Student drivers
For safety, students should plan to drive slowly and safely.

-    We will advise departing students of weather conditions.

-    They should also plan to remain on campus between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. 
         That way, shelter may be sought in academy safe rooms if an actual event occurs.