Thunderstorms and Rainstorms

Thunderstorm Warning

When the Thunderstorm Warning is in force by the Hong Kong Observatory, staff members on duty will monitor the proximity to assess the risk to students outside. This assessment will be based on the localised thunderstorm with the following measures:

Check the location of the thunderstorm and the direction it is travelling. If it is travelling towards the school, modify the outdoor activity and seek shelter.
If the thunderstorm and lightning is within a 15km radius, stop the activity immediately and seek shelter.
If the thunderstorm is not within a 15km radius, consider the distance, intensity and direction it is travelling. If it is assessed unsafe to continue, cancel the outdoor activity and seek shelter.
Outdoor activities will only continue 30 minutes after last lightning strike within the 15km radius.

If Thunderstorm Warning is in force during an afterschool activity, this will be monitored by the staff member in charge. If the Thunderstorm Warning is in force during lunch/recess playing time, this will be monitored by the teacher on duty (Primary and Secondary) and by the Prep - Year 2/Year 3 - 6 Head of Year responsible for wet weather monitoring. Along with monitoring the Hong Kong Observatory, the https://www.weatherbuq.com/ app should also be used to gather specific information relating to the locations of lightning strikes.

Rainstorms

As per the Hong Kong Observatory, the rainy season in Hong Kong is normally between April and September. Rain could be particularly heavy and persistent during May and June, causing severe traffic disruption and on occasions major floods and landslips resulting in casualties. The Observatory’s rainstorm warning system is designed to alert the public about the occurrence of heavy rain, which is likely to bring about major disruptions, and to ensure a state of readiness within the essential services to deal with emergencies. It is independent of other severe weather warnings such as tropical cyclone warning and landslip warning, which will be issued separately where necessary.

To ensure the safety of all students and staff, AISHK will follow the procedures outlined below in line with the Observatory’s rainstorm warning system and various actions mandated by the Education Bureau. Please review these procedures carefully which are also published on the school website. Information about actions taken by AISHK will be communicated to parents via email and the school website.

When the Rainstorm Warning Notice is Posted

Hong Kong EDB Mandated Action to

be taken

AISHK Procedure

AMBER

All schools, including kindergartens, operate as usual

AISHK operates as usual.

RED

Before leaving home for school. (usually between 5:30am and 8:00am)

Whole-day school classes to be suspended all day. School tests and examinations to be postponed.

If the warning is issued at or after 8:00am, students should continue to school, and attend classes at school.

All AISHK staff to arrive at school as usual, prioritising personal and household safety.

Classes will be cancelled on campus if the warning is issued before 8:00am and work will be provided for students. In the event of scheduled public examinations for senior students, the Head of Secondary will communicate arrangements to students and parents via email.

If the warning is issued at or after 8:00am, students should continue their journey to school and attend classes as usual.

RED

During the school day.

(including at the end of school)

Schools will continue until the end of normal school hours and conditions are safe for students to return home.

AISHK operates until the end of normal school hours and parents are not required to take any action during the normal school day.

All school excursions and offsite activities will be postponed during a RED rainstorm warning. If the Red Rainstorm signal is lowered before 9:30am, the school will email parents to confirm that the afternoon Reception class will operate as normal.

If the RED rainstorm warning remains in force at the end of the school day, students will be advised by the school’s public address system that they are to remain under teacher supervision – either in home rooms or designated areas – until the signal is lowered to AMBER. Parents will be notified of arrangements.

Students are not permitted to be dismissed unless they are picked up by an adult or the school announces it is safe for them to leave.

School buses will not run until the signal is lowered to AMBER. If the RED signal remains in force at 4:15pm, buses will be cancelled and parents or guardians will need to collect students from campus.

AISHK staff do not leave until all student departures are safely completed.

BLACK

Before leaving home for school. (usually between 5:30am and 8:00am)

Whole-day school classes to be suspended all day. School tests and examinations to be postponed.

If the warning is issued at or after 8am, students and staff should continue to school and attend classes at school.

Classes will be cancelled on campus if the BLACK

warning signal is issued before 8:00am.

Students and staff are not required to attend school. Work will be provided for students and arrangements regarding any scheduled public examinations for senior students will be communicated to students and parents by the Head of Secondary via email.

If the warning is issued at or after 8:00am, students should continue their journey to school and attend classes as usual.

		Likewise, AISHK staff are required to be at school if the signal is raised at or after 8:00am.
BLACK During the school day.(including at the end of school)	Schools will continue until the end of normal school hours and conditions are safe for students to return home. No students will be dismissed during black rain.	AISHK operates until the end of normal school hours and parents are not required to take any action during the normal school day. All school excursions and offsite activities will be cancelled during a BLACK rainstorm warning. Depending on the time of the BLACK signal, the Head of Primary will notify parents about the running of the PM Reception class.
		If the BLACK rainstorm warning remains in force at the end of the school day, students will be advised by the school’s public address system that they are to remain under teacher supervision – either in home rooms or designated areas – until the signal is lowered to AMBER. Parents will be notified of arrangements.
		If it is a BLACK rain, no student will be dismissed. Government directives are that all persons should remain where they are until the signal is lowered, so parents should not be travelling to collect their child.
		Please note: Once BLACK is lowered to RED, the procedures for RED rain dismissal apply.
		Once the rain signal has been lowered to AMBER, students may be dismissed and travel home by their normal mode of transport.

The revised rainstorm warning system - namely, the AMBER-RED-BLACK colour coded alert, has incorporated a forecast element. The AMBER signal will be issued as an early alert to flooding in low-lying areas and possible heavy rain generally. The RED and BLACK signals may be issued before the respective prescribed rainfall levels are reached to warn of imminent rainstorms. The revised rainstorm warning system is independent of other weather warnings, including tropical cyclone signals and landslip warnings.

As local severe rainstorms are extremely difficult to forecast and may develop rapidly, there will be situations when RED signal is not preceded by an AMBER. Similarly, a BLACK may be issued without a RED. Once issued, the signals will be broadcast by the Hong Kong Observatory. The school will monitor weather updates regularly during rainstorms and request that parents do so as well. Please use the following websites for updates: Hong Kong Observatory and Hong Kong Education Bureau.

School Attendance and Procedures. In the event of rainstorms, the following arrangements will apply:

If it is considered unsafe to allow students to travel home at the end of the school day by their normal means, AISHK will supervise students at school until it is safe for students to return home or until the parent/carer collects the student from school.
Parents are requested to collect or arrange collection of their child as soon as it is safe to do so during RED rainstorm.

Dismissal in Red or Black rain

In the interests of student safety, the following procedures will apply if a RED or BLACK rain signal is raised at the end of the school day:

All ECA’s will be cancelled.

The bus service, Kwoon Chung Motors, will suspend their service whilst the RED and BLACK rain signal is in place and once it is lowered to AMBER, the students who have not been collected and normally travel on the bus service, will be transported home.

At the end of the school day, all students Reception to Year 12, will return to their home room (or designated area) and will be supervised by their teachers.

If it is RED rain, parents/guardians may collect students from their home room. Students are not permitted to be dismissed unless they are picked up by an adult or the school has announced it is safe for them to leave.

If it is a BLACK rain, no student will be dismissed. Government directives are that all persons should remain where they are until the signal is lowered, so parents should not be travelling to collect their child.

please note: Once BLACK is lowered to RED, the procedures for RED rain dismissal apply.
once the rain signal has been lowered to AMBER, students may be dismissed and travel home by their normal mode of transport.

It is possible that weather conditions in some districts could be much more severe than in others. It is possible therefore that severe weather conditions in a student's home district could prevent the student from attending school even though AISHK remains open because weather conditions are not so severe in this district. Personal and household safety should always be prioritised.

Closure of Individual Schools. Alternatively, if local weather, road, slope, traffic or transport conditions warrant the closure of AISHK and a general announcement has not been made by the Director of Education, a Head of School may close the school and then notify the District Education Office concerned as soon as possible afterwards. The announcement should be made, whenever possible, before students set out for school.

There are times when parents should use their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their child to school. Parents should keep their child at home if it seems that local weather, road, slope or traffic conditions at that time may be unsafe.

All parents are requested to ensure that the school has all current emergency contact numbers. Parents of students using the school bus service have provided emergency numbers to the bus company for communication in case of emergency (including inclement weather). Please ensure that these are kept current.