Winter weather may very well be upon us! I want to share some information on weather-related school closings so that you may be prepared for the days and months ahead should weather become an issue. Student safety is always our first consideration when it comes to canceling school or events. Typically, three physical factors impact the decision to close schools. Road conditions, temperature, and visibility are all considered when determining whether or not conditions are safe enough to have school.
Snow Remote Days
Snow events are the most common days for school closings. Factors that are considered when deciding on whether or not to cancel school:
Accumulation and drifting
Icing
Wind speeds
Temperature
Road conditions
Forecast estimates for continued precipitation
When these conditions are impacted, I will consult with a number of different individuals and departments: road commissioners, area superintendents, and our transportation partners. There is no single rule of thumb for accumulation amounts and much of the decision depends on the presence of blowing and/or drifting snow and the ability to keep streets clear. Every effort will be made to make a decision and inform families as quickly as possible, but a decision to cancel school and/or events will typically not be made solely based on a forecast.
Temperature-Related Cancellations
Extreme temperatures are often a part of our winters. Extreme temperatures impact people as well as buses. Factors considered when making temperature-related cancellation decisions include:
Temperature
Wind
Duration and Timing of Cold Temps
Safe Operation of Busses
Our key source of data is the NOAA Wind Chill Chart shown below.
When inside the 30-minute exposure area of the graph, attendance is questionable and dependent upon road conditions. When wind chills are likely to be to the right of that area, it is unlikely that we would attend.
Before/After School Events
If school is canceled, before school activities are canceled. All after-school activities on "e-learning/remote learning days" will be decided upon by noon of that day. As a rule of thumb, if the conditions were bad enough to cancel school, we most likely will not have evening events. Cold days offer a few options based on temp changes late in the day.
Parent Responsibility
Student safety is always our first priority, and we ask for your assistance by dressing students appropriately for current conditions. Please send your children to school with a coat, hat, and gloves! We have extra coats, gloves, and hats available in the district. Please just reach out to the building principal if you need help getting any of these items.
Our staff will provide online/remote learning opportunities during any weather-related school closing. These days will still "count" as attendance days. We don't want our students to get bored at home ;). Please follow up with your child to make sure they understand their work and assignments. As a rule of thumb, our students in the Junior High and High School will have access to Google classroom for all materials, and our Pre-K and Elementary students will have paper packets sent home. If you need internet assistance at home, please reach out to your building principal. More e-learning/remote day information and specific protocols will come from the individual buildings and teachers at a later time.
Finally, making a decision about having to cancel school due to weather is a difficult one. We will use our best judgment and appreciate your support as we work to ensure student learning and student safety. As a parent, you always have the right to make the final decision regarding sending your child to school based on weather conditions.
Notifications
We will have a call that goes out as early as possible for weather-related closings. The automated system takes about 20 minutes to complete all calls depending on the number of schools closing at the same time. We will put information out on our Twitter, Facebook, District 87 website, and all communication channels immediately for instant notification.