The Thunder Bolt

At Concordia International School Hanoi, student safety is our highest priority. As we welcome families to a new school year, it’s important to remember that autumn brings peak storm season to the region, which can result in sudden typhoons and severe weather. In these situations, parents can rest assured that their children are safe, supported, and well cared for.

To ensure our community stays fully informed, we want to share how our Leadership Team monitors severe weather, decides on school closures, and keeps our campus safe during storms.

1. Monitoring Weather and Making Decisions
To prepare for severe storms, Concordia constantly tracks weather conditions through reliable resources in Vietnam and international forecasting agencies.

The decision to close school is never made in isolation. Our Head of School carefully consults with school administration, Vietnamese governmental agencies, and with the Heads of School at other international schools in Hanoi.

Every year, our Leadership Team reviews and updates our Emergency Awareness, Preparedness, and Management Plan to handle various scenarios, including strong typhoons.

2. Communication for Families
When severe weather threatens student safety, we communicate decisions immediately using several primary platforms to ensure every family is reached:

• Direct Email: Sent to all registered parent email addresses.
• School Mobile App: A text message alert pushed through our official app messaging system. Parents can download our mobile app on the Apple Store or the Google Play Store and login using your PowerSchool email address to receive these notifications. 
• Official Website & Social Media: Updates are posted on our homepage and official channels.
• Internal Emergency System: Activated immediately to inform all teachers and staff.

3. Transition to Home Learning
Should extreme weather require our physical campus to close, learning will not stop. Teachers across every grade level and subject will be prepared to transition to Home Learning.

In the event of a campus closure, detailed instructions, schedules, and learning materials will be provided directly by your respective principals and teachers to guide your family through the Home Learning process. This ensures that your child’s academic progress continues without interruption.

4. Our School Closure Procedures
Depending on when extreme weather hits, Concordia Hanoi follows two distinct procedures:

Process A - Cancellation Before the School Day Starts
If weather conditions are unsafe in the morning or the evening before, the school will cancel classes and alert families through all communication channels. We ask that students stay home during these weather events.

Process B - Cancellation During the School Day
Closing school while classes are in session is highly unusual. However, if a severe storm forces an early closure during the day:

• We will notify parents immediately via email and app alerts.
• Parents or approved guardians who pick up their children can do so following our standard pickup process.
• If the road conditions are safe, we will organize normal bus transportation home for students who use the bus service.
• If the road conditions are not safe, students that take the bus will remain safely on campus until conditions improve. See below to read more about this scenario.

Important Bus Safety Rule: Bus drivers will only hand off students to a parent or designated adult at their home stop. Should no adult be present, the student will remain safe on the bus or under supervision back at campus.

5. What Happens During Unexpected Extreme Weather?
Sometimes severe storms arrive faster than predicted. If extreme weather blows in suddenly during school hours, Concordia will not dismiss students until weather and road conditions clear and travel is completely safe.

Our campus location does not typically experience the large-scale flooding that impacts most of Hanoi. Although if severe weather does occur, our facilities are engineered to be one of the safest locations in the city. To care for our students and teachers during unexpected delays, we have the following provisions in place:

• Backup Generators: Our high-capacity power generators ensure our buildings retain electricity, lighting, and ventilation.
• On-Site Food & Water Supplies: We maintain emergency food and clean water supplies to meet the needs of all students and staff.

During a sudden storm, we encourage parents to stay safe and wait until the severe weather passes before traveling to campus to collect their children.

6. Parent Discretion and Choice
While Concordia follows strict safety protocols, we respect that travel conditions vary across different neighborhoods in Hanoi.

We always encourage parents to use their own personal discretion. If weather or road conditions near your home make travel unsafe, you always have the option to keep your child at home. Simply inform our attendance office, and the absence will not be penalized. Your child's safety is always our top priority.

If you have any questions about our emergency procedures or safety standards, please reach out to our administration team today.