Spartan Update
February 5th, 2026
As we know, it doesn’t take a winter snow storm to impact school operations. Some fall weather conditions, such as wind storms with power outages, have the potential to require implementation of our inclement weather procedures.
Here are reminders to help you prepare for possible changes to bus and school operations due to inclement weather:
Refer to inclement weather procedures for an outline of what to expect regarding communications and operations.
For safety reasons, there may be a need to offer limited transportation and use inclement weather bus routes. This means buses will generally run on main roads rather than side streets or through neighborhoods.
We use “zones” to define inclement weather bus routes. Please become familiar with the zone your child’s bus route falls within. It is the responsibility of families to know if they live on an inclement weather route.
Bus drivers will hand out hard copies with the inclement weather bus zone specific to your child in early December. For questions, please call the Transportation Department at (253) 891-6400.
Follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, @SumnerSchoolDistrict and Instagram, @SumnerBonneyLakeSD.
It’s important to keep in mind that while streets might be clear in the Sumner valley, that’s often not the case on the hill in Bonney Lake, where there’s considerable elevation and tight, winding roads.
It’s a ways from spring, but we’re already planning the regional lahar exercise, in which all SBLSD schools will participate on April 23, 2026. The drill is only for schools, not the general public or surrounding residences.
All schools will participate by either evacuating or sheltering in place, depending on their location in the valley or on the hill.
Evacuation (valley schools in Sumner)
Schools in the Sumner valley will evacuate their school buildings and follow a designated evacuation route to the Gordon Family YMCA. Buses will transport students back to their school where they’ll complete the remainder of their school day as normal. Families of students attending valley schools will have the ability to opt their child out of the evacuation drill.
Shelter in place (hill schools in Bonney Lake)
Schools on the hill in Bonney Lake will shelter in place by remaining at school inside their classroom. Teachers have the option to deliver lahar-related lessons and activities, sharing more about lahars and what to expect should we experience one.
Closer to April, families will receive more information about the lahar exercise as it pertains to their school. To see a lahar evacuation exercise in action, watch this video from our district’s drill in 2022.
Coordinated by the East Pierce Interlocal Coalition Emergency Management Team, four other school districts will participate in the biennial lahar exercise, which is noted as the largest exercise of its kind worldwide. Learn more about the regional effort.
The District utilizes ParentSquare for its robocalls, emails, text messages and more!
Here are just a few key ParentSquare features we’re especially excited for:
One tool for all communication formats
Supports 106 languages with real-time, two-way translation
Families choose communication format (text, email, voice calls) and timing (immediate or digest)
Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date in Skyward Family Access. With text messaging a family-preferred communication format, be sure to include your cell phone number in the primary phone field.