Weather Policy Announcement
1/7/2015
Hello parents and friends!
I have been asked to clarify the Youth Ministry Weather Policy before we head into what looks like a very cold winter!
After much consultation with parents and the youth ministry adult team, we have realized that many of the considerations that go into cancelling school do not always have an impact on our parish youth ministry programs. For example, road conditions that are unsafe for bus travel at 6AM frequently improve by 7PM, and freezing cold wind temperatures that make standing at bus stops unsafe don't endanger students who can be driven to Church in their parents' vehicles.
Therefore, our weather policy is that After School Crew on Wednesdays will ALWAYS BE CANCELLED when Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (PCCS) are not in session. This is to ensure that no teenager will be tempted to walk to Church in freezing cold temperatures before their parents return home from work. A determination as to whether Youth Group or other Youth Ministry programs will be cancelled will be made by the youth minister (in consultation with the adult team and the parish maintenance staff) and posted to the Youth Ministry website by 2:30pm on days that PCCS closes.
Some have asked why our policy differs from that of the Relgious Education Program and the CYO Athletics Program which cancel all programming on days that PCCS cancels school. Sometimes this is done for safety, but more often for the convenience of parents with young children who have to make last-minute arrangements for their children on snow days. It is more convenient for these families to know very early in the day whether their children's afternoon activities are cancelled. We have not heard this same need from parents of teenagers.
Ultimately, the decision of whether it is safe for your teenager to attend youth ministry programs on bad weather days is yours as a parent. Factors such as distance from the Church, availability of an experienced winter driver, and the health of vehicles mean that parents won't always unanimously agree on whether their child's attendance is safe. For this reason, young people who are required to be at youth ministry programming (leadership team members specifically) will not be required to attend on days that PCCS cancels school.
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. And because I won't necessarily be in my office in the mornings on bad weather days you can always call my cell at (734) 635-7258 if you have questions or concerns!
Thank you and God bless!
-Chris Leach
Coord. Youth & Young Adult Ministries
Hello parents and friends!
I have been asked to clarify the Youth Ministry Weather Policy before we head into what looks like a very cold winter!
After much consultation with parents and the youth ministry adult team, we have realized that many of the considerations that go into cancelling school do not always have an impact on our parish youth ministry programs. For example, road conditions that are unsafe for bus travel at 6AM frequently improve by 7PM, and freezing cold wind temperatures that make standing at bus stops unsafe don't endanger students who can be driven to Church in their parents' vehicles.
Therefore, our weather policy is that After School Crew on Wednesdays will ALWAYS BE CANCELLED when Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (PCCS) are not in session. This is to ensure that no teenager will be tempted to walk to Church in freezing cold temperatures before their parents return home from work. A determination as to whether Youth Group or other Youth Ministry programs will be cancelled will be made by the youth minister (in consultation with the adult team and the parish maintenance staff) and posted to the Youth Ministry website by 2:30pm on days that PCCS closes.
Some have asked why our policy differs from that of the Relgious Education Program and the CYO Athletics Program which cancel all programming on days that PCCS cancels school. Sometimes this is done for safety, but more often for the convenience of parents with young children who have to make last-minute arrangements for their children on snow days. It is more convenient for these families to know very early in the day whether their children's afternoon activities are cancelled. We have not heard this same need from parents of teenagers.
Ultimately, the decision of whether it is safe for your teenager to attend youth ministry programs on bad weather days is yours as a parent. Factors such as distance from the Church, availability of an experienced winter driver, and the health of vehicles mean that parents won't always unanimously agree on whether their child's attendance is safe. For this reason, young people who are required to be at youth ministry programming (leadership team members specifically) will not be required to attend on days that PCCS cancels school.
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. And because I won't necessarily be in my office in the mornings on bad weather days you can always call my cell at (734) 635-7258 if you have questions or concerns!
Thank you and God bless!
-Chris Leach
Coord. Youth & Young Adult Ministries