Kids in parts north of California enjoy the odd “snow day,” which shuts down schools due to snow, but some Santa Clarita Valley kids are seeing classes cancelled Thursday for a “wind day.”
Students at schools in the Sulphur Springs Union School District get their school day cut in half Thursday after district administrators were notified of an intentional power outage that day.
All nine schools within the district are scheduled to have a minimum dayThursday, with classes held only in the morning.
“We got notification from (Southern California) Edison about our circuits being shut off,” SSUSD Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi said Wednesday afternoon.
“We understand why Edison is doing this,” she said.
“It does create some problems for some of our families with this last-minute notice,” she said, noting some parents are left to struggle with schedule changes.
“With the weather being what it is, we have to work together,” Kwang said.
Edison officials, in an effort to avoid sparking brush fires during high fire risk conditions. are prepared to pull the plug on 132,524 of its customers, utility spokesman Paul Netter said Tuesday.
Customers in and around the Santa Clarita Valley under consideration for the next intentional power outage, called a Public Safety Power Shutoff, include:
- Santa Clarita, Leona Valley, Lake Hughes, Green Valley, Lake Elizabeth, Cantillas, Canyon Country, Agua Dulce, Mint Canyon and Acton.
Asked Tuesday when the PSPS outages would happen, if they do, Netter said: “Right now, that would be Wednesday into Thursday.”
“Whether the National Weather Service does or does not issue a red flag warning isn’t the determining factor,” Netter said Tuesday.
Officials with the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning and a high wind advisory late Tuesday afternoon.
District Assistant Superintendent Josh Randall sent parents of Sulphur Springs students a text message Wednesday, informing them about the power outage.
His message reads: “We just received notification from Southern California Edison that our school sites are on watch to potentially have their power disconnected at some point in the day due to high winds in the area.”
“Due to the potential of Edison shutting down our power, all our schools will be on a minimum day schedule for Thursday.”
End-of-school-day times for schools include:
- 11:45 a.m. for Leona Cox, Pinetree and Canyon Springs.
- 12:15 p.m. for Mitchell, Mint and Golden Oak
- 12:45 p.m. for Sulphur Springs, Valley View, and Fair Oaks.
Randall mentioned in his notice to parents that the lunch program for students remains in place and that Thursday is a “normal transportation schedule” for a minimum day.
ASES classes at Canyon Springs and Mint Canyon are also cancelled.
“If the power goes out in the morning at our schools, we will still keep the children at our schools and maintain normal operations until the minimum day is over,” the message to parents reads.
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