The safety of our students and staff is our priority, so in the event of extreme weather it may be necessary to modify our school schedules.
Parents are advised to use their best judgment in determining whether to send their children to school in the case of bad weather or dangerous road conditions.
In the event of special weather arrangements the Education Bureau will make a decision at 6 a.m. and this information will be distributed to the media. For more information please refer to their guidelines.
Under normal circumstances, HKIS will follow the Government’s recommendation. HKIS will not call parents directly.Alerts will be posted on the website. Parents are responsible for checking for any announcements.
Please note there are times when localized weather conditions on the south side of the island are very different from territory-wide predictions. In circumstances where HKIS needs to take action different from the Government’s recommendation, parents will be alerted and notices will be posted on the website.
Generally speaking, HKIS will wait for an official announcement from Hong Kong’s Education Bureau before notifying the community about school closures (due to bad weather or health considerations such as flu outbreaks). On occasion, these announcements take time to come out, and, in that time, some news outlets and community members try to anticipate whether the Education Bureau will close schools or not. Please rest assured that HKIS will contact parents and employees with news of any closure once official word has been received.
| What happens when the signal is raised before school starts: | |
|---|---|
| Typhoon 1 | All R1-12 classes are in session. |
| Typhoon 3 | R1 classes are cancelled. R2-12 classes are in session. |
| Typhoon 8 and above | All schools are closed – all classes are cancelled. |
| Amber Rainstorm | All R1-12 classes are in session. |
| Red Rainstorm | All schools are closed – all classes are cancelled. |
| Black Rainstorm | All schools are closed – all classes are cancelled. |
| What we do when the signal is raised during school hours: | |
|---|---|
| At times a typhoon increases in intensity or a rainstorm signal is raised while the children are at school. If this happens, we will use the following proc | |
| Typhoon 1 | All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times. |
| Typhoon 3 | All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times. |
| Typhoon 8 and above | All R1-12 classes will be dismissed. (The notice of typhoon 8 signal being raised is given to schools several hours before it is actually hoisted, thus allowing schools enough time to make arrangements to get students home safely.) |
| Amber Rainstorm | All R1-12 classes will remain in session with regular dismissal times. |
| Red Rainstorm | All R1-12 classes will remain in session AND* students will remain in school until conditions are safe for them to return home. |
| Black Rainstorm | All R1-12 classes will remain in session AND* students will remain in school until conditions are safe for them to return home. |
* Students will not be released until the warning has been removed and buses are authorized for safe travel, which could be after 3 p.m.
Black Rainstorm: The HK government strongly advises everyone to stay indoors during a Black Rainstorm warning.Driving yourself or sending someone to pick up your child during a Black Rainstorm signal is extremely dangerous and not advisable.
Typhoon 8 signal: In the case of a Typhoon 8 signal when we must dismiss the children prior to the end of the regular school day. HKIS will contact parents with the revised dismissal time. Ensure that you have procedures in place with your family and helper in the event of a Typhoon 8 signal. You will need to determine who will be waiting at the bus stop for your child in line with the revised time. If your child regularly walks home or is picked up by car, please be prepared to come immediately to school and pick up your child from the normal meeting place.
Buses will run and complete their routes if school is in session or when students are on board. Any variation to the regular schedule will be the decision of the bus company in consultation with the school administration.
In the event of class cancellation, the Upper Primary will offer choice activities for students to complete independently at home. We do not offer Zoom instruction during class suspension.
For information regarding weather conditions, we recommend the following sources:
- Hong Kong Observatory website: www.weather.gov.hk Education Bureau website: www.edb.gov.hk
- Hong Kong Observatory telephone: 187-8200
- (Press 1 for Cantonese, 2 for Mandarin, 3 for English)
- RTHK – Radio 3: FM 97.9 (Central and environs) or FM 106.8 (Southern Hong Kong Island)
The Upper Primary School team will contact parents through email notification with updates and any dismissal plans as the weather situation develops. For student participating in late after school activities, families will be notified by the activities office and activity providers.