The staff and faculty continue to watch the weather forecasts develop for this weekend, but it appears certain that the campus of Fork Union Military Academy will receive periods of heavy snow beginning Friday and continuing into Saturday. Predictions for snow accumulations cover a wide range, from two inches to two feet, but most weather reports suggest that we could receive more than a foot of snow this weekend.
Storm Preparations
Over the past century, Fork Union Military Academy has dealt with many such storms and our staff and faculty are well-drilled in dealing with the worst that Mother Nature can dish out. As a boarding school with most of our teachers and staff living on or near the campus, operations typically continue pretty much as normal in spite of heavy snowfalls. Classes continue to be taught and students cared for just as we ordinarily would experience on any other day.
Day Students May Remain On Campus
Our Commandant's Office is preparing to provide beds and sheets for any of our day students who may need to stay on campus Friday night. The Commandant is requesting that day students bring a blanket or sleeping bag and a favorite pillow, if desired, along with toiletries and a towel. Day students remaining on campus Friday night are asked to check in at the Commandant's Office at 1700 hours Friday afternoon for further instructions.
JAUNT Bus Transportation
The JAUNT bus offers transportations for many of our day students in Fluvanna County. Information regarding JAUNT's operations or closings should be gathered from the transportation service's website at http://www.RideJAUNT.org or you may call their Inclement Weather Hotline at 434-296-3184 (then press 5).
SAT Testing as Scheduled
The SAT testing scheduled on campus for this Saturday morning beginning at 0800 hours will be held as scheduled. Cadets participating in SAT testing will wear their Class B uniform for testing on Saturday.
Prepared for Power Loss
The campus has onsite generators to keep electricity flowing to critical infrastructure, and maintenance staff keep a close eye on tree limbs that need to be removed and other potential hazards in advance of predicted snow and ice.
Jacobson Hall, the Upper School barracks, was constructed with a building generator capable of powering the entire building, with full service to the first floor and all bathroom facilities, and emergency lighting and service to the upper floors.
Larry McIlnay, Director of Food Services, reassures parents that "we're ready for this one." The school has ordered in extra supplies of bottled water, canned goods, and topped off the fuel tanks for the generators.
"We can run without refueling for four days, and run forever with additional fuel. Our kids will always have a hot meal, and a place with lights and heat," McIlnay says.
Ready to adapt to changing transportation needs
Weather conditions always have the potential to impact transportation plans for cadets traveling on weekend leaves. Our Commandant's Office personnel have many years of experience in dealing with such travel disruptions and adjusting nimbly to meet new travel conditions. As always, our first emphasis will be seeing to the safety of your son if he is to travel away from campus on leave. We will also work to make every accomodation we can to meet shifting schedules as the weather may impact airlines and other public transportation schedules. We've dealt with such situations many times in past years and we have the experience and patience to help work through the sometimes complicated logistics and help your sons have a safe and enjoyable leave to the fullest of our ability.
Currently, the Commandant is not planning to offer shuttle transportation to Richmond this weekend, but we will keep cadets informed should this change.
Keep an Eye on the Campus
You can keep an eye on weather conditions on campus with the Skyline Network weathercam we have mounted high atop Hatcher Hall for use by our local television stations. You can see the view looking almost due west from the top of our central administration building, and see current temperatures, wind speeds, and precipitation levels at http://www.newsplex.com/skyline/skylinefuma.