Individual Closures
In cases of closure due to weather-related emergencies such as snow, a decision and announcement regarding closure will be made by the individual campus, and relayed to the chancellor or the chancellor's designee.
Individual campus decisions and announcements on closures will also be made and announced by campuses in situations that affect one campus specifically (such as power outages, fire or restricted access due to police activity).
Combined Closures
In event of widespread or catastrophic emergency, a decision and announcement will be the same for all campuses and offices of the district, following discussion by the college presidents and chancellor (or their designees), or by the Emergency Communications Committee, as called for in the district-wide crisis communications plan.
Communicating Closures
Closure messages will be sent to students and employees who have signed up for the SeattleCollegesAlerts system. Messages are sent to college-issued email addresses, and can also be sent to additional personal email addresses and texted to mobile phones.
Closure messages will also be posted on flashalertseattle.net (formerly known as SchoolReport.org)
For both individual and combined closures, Public Information Offices throughout the district are able to post messages to both SeattleCollegesAlerts and the FlashAlert systems.
Closure messages may also be communicated, as circumstances allow -
Note that campuses and offices are considered open unless specifically announced as closed on the delivery systems listed above.
The District Office follows weather-related closure directions for Seattle Central.
Closure Announcements
Green for the 21st Century in Seattle
Innovations in curriculum and operations have earned the 2009 Green Washington Award for the Seattle Community Colleges – Central, North and South. All three colleges are active members of the Seattle Climate Partnership and North was an early signer of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. A district-wide Chancellor’s Sustainability Initiative provides energy, focus and a forum for emerging training and initiatives.
Sustainability is infused into programs ranging from urban agriculture at Central to environmental science, real estate and building management across the district. Students have funded a sustainability coordinator. Campus activities include reducing the carbon footprint and promoting recycling and energy conservation, which earned a “Recycler of the Year” award for South. Last year, the college culinary operations diverted 31 tons of materials to a regional composting facility – which returned the compost to “green” the college landscape.
For more information visit www.seattlecolleges.edu/green
Helping displaced workers to ‘Start Next Quarter’
During the economic downturn, thousands of displaced workers turned to the Seattle Community Colleges at the same time regional employers reported a need for skilled workers to fill jobs in the new economy. To help both potential workers and employers, the Seattle Community Colleges developed Start Next Quarter (SNQ), a two-part initiative designed to improve the success of dislocated workers who enroll in technical education programs. SNQ invites prospective students to assess their eligibility for workforce funding online and connects them to a comprehensive two-day college success workshop held at each campus. The workshops are based on a model developed at one of the district campuses. Students who complete the workshop are more likely to complete their training programs and to obtain jobs using their new skills. The project was developed in part through a grant from the League for Innovation, funded by the Walmart Foundation Bright Futures project to serve displaced workers.
Visit www.startnextquarter.org
A Model for the Region
The Opportunity Center for Employment and Education at North Seattle Community College is a regional resource and the first integrated service center of its kind in Washington state. Since the OCE&E opened its doors in spring 2011, more than 40,000 people have come for one-stop help in finding a new job, career retraining or to sign up for public assistance benefits. Founding partners were the state Departments of Social and Health Services and Employment Security, the college, and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The campus and the new LEED Gold Certified 45,000-square foot facility are in the heart of Seattle’s north end and close to a major transit hub. House Speaker Frank Chopp and Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (sponsor of the legislation and a former Seattle District trustee) championed the OCE&E in the state legislature. The center aims to provide streamlined services in a positive environment, helping clients succeed in the next stage of their lives.