Who determines if we are going to have a snow day?
In accordance with district policy, the superintendent will make a decision to close school for inclement weather.
What is a snow day?
A “snow day” is a day that school is canceled due to inclement weather. While school can be closed for a number of reasons, weather-related issues are the most frequent reasons for school closures. Please make sure your child is aware of any emergency plans you have made for them in the event school is closed on a given day.
What is considered when deciding to have a snow day?
There are key factors in determining whether or not to have a snow day. These factors include the safety of students and staff, and the value of teaching and learning. Safety - High winds, extreme cold, and resulting wind chill factors will be the primary threat to the well-being of students in our district. Guidelines provided by the National Weather Service serve as a guide for determining the impact of wind and temperature. Based on this guidance, wind chills approaching negative 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit would warrant the possibility of a school closure. Another weather-related factor to be considered is snow accumulation. Given the time needed for snow removal from village streets and sidewalks, the school parking lot and the school drop-off loop, heavy snow accumulations could be a reason for school closure. Of course, strong winds combined with heavy snow could increase the likelihood of a possible school closure.
Winter Weather is Normal - Please note that every snow, temperature or wind event will not trigger a school closure. Students should be properly prepared to walk to and from school in a winter weather region such as ours. Value of Teaching and Learning - As educators, we place a great deal of importance on the acts of teaching and learning. Given this, every consideration will be made to keep school open. We want students in school so they can maximize their opportunities for learning.
How many snow days can a school have?
In any given school year there are typically 3-4 snow days built into the school calendar. This means that we could have that many school closures without impacting any other school vacations.
How does the school “make up” snow days?
The district will not automatically convert to a remote learning day initially for snow days. If the closure is due to weather concerns it may not be practical for us to have our employees travel to work or to keep the building open to all employees. We would eventually institute the remote learning plans if we have multiple snow days to ensure that planned school breaks are not impacted as we work to meet the required hours of instruction in a given school year.
When is a decision made about school closing?
In accordance with district policy, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the superintendent will make a decision to close school for inclement weather or other emergency no later than 6:30 a.m. on any given day.
Where can parents/guardians look to find out if school is closed?
The district will immediately communicate emergency closings by phone call, email, text message, on the district website and its social media pages. An automated messaging service, provided by SchoolMessenger, may be utilized in the event of an emergency on campus (i.e., school closing, evacuation or lockdown) to contact families quickly via phone and email. The system is also utilized to notify families of important information or a change to an event. To help us maintain accurate records, please contact your school's main office any time your contact information changes. Our closure announcement will also be shared with local media outlets. Parents may opt in for text messages from our automated system by texting a Y or Yes to 67587.
Can there be other activities at the school when school is closed?
In the event of a school cancellation, evening activities including sporting events, adult-education classes and/or Board of Education meetings will not occur unless specifically announced.
What if school is open and you (the parent/guardian) think it should be closed?
As an organization that houses over 1,200 people each day, schools have multiple factors that must be taken into account when determining whether or not to have school. Considering the unpredictability of weather forecasting, we will make snow day decisions based on what we know and with an eye on keeping students safe. Each family has its own factors to consider whenever there is a school closure. In these instances, as a child’s parent/guardian, you have the right to keep your child home. When providing the written excuse for your child’s absence, please indicate that it was due to the weather.
What if school is closed and you (the parent/guardian) think it should be open?
There are days the superintendent may feel the same way, however part of the decision making process involves relying upon weather reports. The superintendent will dialog with village officials, our grounds department and monitor the weather reports throughout the night when we experience a storm. This is not an exact science. The potential for clear skies mid-day may make a late night/early morning decision obsolete. We will always err on the side of caution when factoring the risks and making a decision.