Weather Response Update 2

A Message from President John Hoyle:

September 14, 2020

Dear ASMS Community Members,

Our students just completed the mandatory assembly where we overviewed emergency weather procedures, and they participated in a severe weather drill to prepare for Hurricane Sally. We are doing everything we can to avoid closing our campus once more, and I am confident we are appropriately working to be ready for the storm.

Please review these important updates:

Weather

• Sally has now formed into a Hurricane, and the Mobile area has been placed under a Hurricane Warning.
• Due to the storm's slow-moving nature and the projected eastern path, we are now expecting power outages and heavier amounts of rain.
• The storm's slow nature also means that the start of severe weather may begin later than expected and last additional days during the week.

New Options for Traveling Home

• ASMS has decided to rent a charter bus for students who would like to leave. The bus will load at 3:30 p.m. today and will follow the standard route up I-65. Parents must submit a REACH request for their students to ride the bus. We are not evacuating the campus but giving families an alternative if they are uncomfortable with their students remaining on campus.
• A return bus will be provided on Sunday, September 20, 2020 (unless conditions do not permit).
• Families may also come to campus to pick up their students. Since the storm is moving slowly, the deadline has been extended until 7 p.m. tonight for this option.
• All students who leave campus due to weather may return on Sunday (unless conditions do not permit).

Classes

• Students will not meet virtually for their academic classes on Tuesday or Wednesday but have been given assignments to complete during this time.

Preparations

• Additional administrators will be on campus for the duration of the storm.
• Foodservice has been secured for the duration of the storm.
• ASMS will coordinate a run to Winn Dixie for students who may need last-minute items.
• We have 121 students on campus at this time, and the parents of each of those students will receive a phone call from the school.

Other

• SGA officer elections, class representative elections, and the third JBLA training have now been postponed until further notice.
• Dr. Scarlette Studdard (sstuddard@asms.net) is the ASMS Leadership Team member who should be contacted with questions.
• We have decided it would be best to postpone all move-in scheduled through Saturday, September 19. If you were planning to move in during this week, we will reschedule you soon.

I want to reiterate that Sally is a very slowing moving storm with an unpredictable path. We will try and update families during the storm, but that may not be possible.

As I have said for the last six months, I appreciate the flexibility and patience you have shown – 2020 has been a special kind of year!

Sincerely,

John Hoyle

President