WSMA District Festivals Weather Emergency Procedures
Given the unpredictability of the weather, it is essential for WSMA to establish guidelines for weather emergencies for District Festivals.
• Before the festival, the District Festival Manager should obtain all cell phone and home phone numbers for each participating director attending the festival, and/or create an online method of group communication.
• Participating directors, principals and superintendents should agree on an alternate festival date and location prior to the scheduled festival in case of inclement weather. The alternate festival date should be as close to the original festival date as possible.
• Principals, superintendents and music teachers from participating schools must determine if it is safe for buses to transport students to the festival location as soon as possible when inclement weather is forecasted.
• The final decision to host a WSMA Festival during inclement weather is made by the Festival Manager, Principal, Superintendent and other school officials as required by the hosting school. Options for inclement weather include:
- A one or two-hour delay in the festival schedule to allow roads to be cleared.
- Reschedule the festival. Because of the large number of students and parents attending from different schools as well as adjudicators who travel to the festival, this should be done as a last resort.
- If Option 1 or 2 take place:
• The Festival Manager must notify all adjudicators via cell and/or home phone numbers. If any adjudicator is unable to fulfill his/her assignment, please notify WSMA immediately.
• The Festival Manager must notify all participating directors who should inform his/her students, principal and superintendent.
• Local radio station(s) or television station(s) should be informed of the festival delay or cancellation. The host district’s superintendent will know which stations to contact.
• The Festival Manager must notify WSMA with all changes, including an alternate date if necessary.
• Every effort should be made to reschedule the festival involving at least three schools. If schools are absolutely unable to find a workable alternate festival date, each school must notify WSMA of the date of the individual school’s festival. WSMA will obtain adjudicators based on information and needs as communicated by the Festival Manager. Individual school festivals are a last resort.
• The subsidy check sent to the Festival Manager should be used to pay piano rental costs, if any were incurred. The remaining funds should be retained for the rescheduled festival or divided among participating schools according to the percentage of entries registered.
• If an adjudicator is not notified of a cancelled festival and arrives at the festival location, the adjudicator is entitled to be paid full mileage plus $25.00. This amount should also come from the subsidy check. The remaining subsidy amount should be retained for the rescheduled festival or divided among the participating schools according to the number of entries.
