Understanding the Complexity of Weather-Related School Closures

Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority, especially when faced with challenging weather conditions.  Each weather event is different, therefore, making decisions about school closures or delays involves a comprehensive and thoughtful process, considering various factors to arrive at the best possible outcome for our entire district.​ 

Our Decision-Making Process

1. Continuous Monitoring: We closely monitor weather forecasts and road conditions, acknowledging that they are never completely predictable or exact. ​
2. Collaboration with Experts: We participate in informational webinars conducted by the National Weather Service to stay informed about upcoming weather events. ​
3. Internal Coordination: Our transportation department, community education department, buildings and grounds department, activities and athletics department, and district leaders assemble as our “C-I weather team” to provide insight and inform the decision making process.  
4. Consultation with Transportation Authorities: We maintain open communication with local transportation departments to understand their snowplowing plans and assess road safety.​
5. Early Morning Assessments: Our weather team engages in early morning evaluations, often around 3:30 AM, to assess real-time conditions.​
6. Input from Bus Drivers: Around 4:00 AM, we dispatch several drivers to assess road conditions firsthand, providing valuable insights into specific areas within our district.​
7. Communication with Neighboring Districts: We stay in touch with neighboring school districts to understand their assessments and decisions, ensuring a coordinated approach when possible.​

Today's (3/5/25) Unique Weather Event

Today's weather event presented additional complexities:

• Variable Conditions Across the District: The National Weather Service indicated that our district was on the edge of a weather system, with a tight gradient of severity, resulting in mild conditions in the northern areas and more severe conditions in the southern regions.​
• Short-Lived Storm: The storm was anticipated to subside by mid-day, suggesting that conditions would improve as the day progressed.​ This is why after school and evening activities will be held as scheduled. (Note: This is also unique) 
• Challenging Southeastern Roads: Reports from our drivers and transportation authorities indicated that approximately one-quarter of our district, particularly the southeastern portion, faced very challenging, unsafe, and some impassable road conditions.​

Decision Timeline

• Initial Delay: Based on early assessments, we initially called for a delayed start to allow conditions to improve and provide time for snowplows to clear the roads.​
• Continued Monitoring: We remained in contact with county transportation leaders and learned that due to the severity of conditions in the southeast, plows would not be able to reach those areas until mid to late morning.​
• Transition to Closure: Given the late notice, multiple communications, and the varied conditions across the district, we decided to close schools for the day rather than implement an eLearning day. This decision was made to ensure the safety of all students and staff, considering that some areas were not accessible.​

Appreciation for Our Community

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our leaders, drivers, communicators, community partners, and district partners for their unwavering efforts, insights, and communications during this challenging weather event. Your dedication ensures that we can navigate these situations with the utmost care and consideration for everyone's safety. And thank you to our families and community for the support and understanding.