Most of the schools in Drenthe will not open tomorrow due to the heavy snowfall. The KNMI has issued a code orange for the Northern Netherlands, which can make it dangerous on the road.
At secondary schools Stad & Esch and Dingstede in Meppel there was still snow fun for the students on Wednesday, but normal education awaits on Friday. Digital that is. “I think it was the first time in five years that there was so much ice and so much ice,” says director Peter de Visser. “Then we give them an ice-free day. But we really keep that to a minimum. This year there will be no extra ice-free day.”
In general, schools at Stad & Esch and Dingstede are closed during code red and open during code yellow. With code orange, more customization awaits. In principle, the schools are open, but if there is a warning of slippery conditions, the school can still decide to close. However, with code orange, she chooses to cancel the first hour and last two hours, so that students are home before dark.
CKC Drenthe follows the same protocol surrounding the KNMI warnings. “The KNMI already issues a warning with code orange, but in our protocol this does not necessarily mean that we remain closed. So we make the assessment: how safe is it for our employees and for parents and children?” says Annelies Bakelaar, director of CKC Drenthe.
Since snow dunes may be expected tomorrow as a combination of snow and strong winds, the school does not consider it responsible to open. “With code orange, we really keep an eye on the signals from the government,” De Visser explains.
“We are not only dealing with students, but also with teachers.” And those teachers come from places further away than the students. For example, teachers come from Groningen or Assen. “If the trains don’t run, it becomes a bit more difficult. You don’t want to be a school where you have students but no teachers.”
The same applies to CKC Drenthe, says Bakelaar. “Many of our employees do not live near their work. It is then unsafe to let them go on the road. In addition, we cannot guarantee the quality of education if employees are not present.”
Both CKC Drenthe and the schools in Meppel also coordinate their policies with other educational institutions. De Visser also consulted with other secondary schools in Meppel. Terra VO will also be closed tomorrow and will also teach online. And Bakelaar had a meeting with fellow educational institutions today, which showed that they are all following the same course.