Inclement weather procedures

Superintendent Kathryn Sheridan explains how the decision is made...

Hot chololate PhotoWe are sharing the District’s inclement weather protocol and our procedure for operations in the event the weather impacts our school attendance.  When the weather is severe, it’s helpful to be familiar with the procedures that District 96 will follow, should there be a need to close school and/or cancel evening activities.

These decisions are quite complex....

With the safety of our students and staff foremost in mind, decisions to close are circumstance-specific. Considerations to close include the following:

  • Temperature (-20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder) and Wind Chill (a wind chill of -35 degrees Fahrenheit is dangerous, as exposure for more than 20–30 minutes makes the skin susceptible to frostbite)
  • Conditions for our students who walk to school
  • The ability of school bus drivers to report to work on time and the ability of buses to function
  • The stability of weather predictions. That is, how likely is it that between 5:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m., on the school day in question, the weather will truly be what was predicted (with wind chill predictions typically more stable than snow predictions)
  • Conditions in our buildings (heat/water/electricity/access to parking lots and sidewalks)

Likewise, administrators must consider other possibilities:

  • How long can a student wait safely at a bus stop for a bus that could be delayed?
  • What will be the consequences for passengers if a bus should break down in extreme weather?
  • Is it safe for walkers to walk to school?

We recognize that a decision to modify a typically planned school day would require alternative plans for child care and other work arrangements. Be assured that when that decision is made — in collaboration with area superintendents also considering factors and circumstances like those in District 96 — we inform our families immediately. Decisions to close due to extreme cold are more likely to come the evening before if — and only if — National Weather Service and NOAA information is sufficient to support closing for the safety of our students, faculty, and staff.

Note, however, it is unlikely that a decision to close due to expected snowfall will be announced before the morning of the day in question. When the snow falls is as important as how much snow is expected to fall. If roads can be plowed during the night and bus drivers can report, then school will likely be in session. Additionally, we have had forecasts of snow that never fell. For these reasons, announcing a closing for snow the day before is unlikely. If we choose to close, our current practice is to communicate that decision as close to 5:00 a.m. as possible.

Communication

KCSD96 families should always consider school open UNLESS you directly hear otherwise. If a decision to close access to our schools is reached, the District will:

  • Send a robocall/text/email home to families (please be sure you are signed up or subscribed to receive text notifications)
    • If your contact information changes, please be sure to notify the administrative assistant at your student’s school to update our database with your new email/phone number.
  • Post on our KCSD96 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts
  • Post a banner with a notification of school closing on the KCSD96 website
  • Alert School Closures for local news/media outlets

In the event of inclement weather, the Superintendent of Schools will implement one of the following scenarios:

School Closed

All school buildings will be closed with no after-schoool/extra-curricular learning activities provided. In this scenario, students will make up the day of school at the end of the school year, using one of our emergency days. If we choose to close our schools, our current practice is to communicate that decision as close to 5 a.m. that day as possible.

Delayed Start

On days when snow/ice accumulation/power outages present an issue in the morning but improve through the day, we may announce a Delayed Start. This decision would allow our schools to open 2-hours late (120 minutes). Our Delayed Start option would allow plows and salt-spreading trucks more time to service the roads in the morning, and/or power technicians to service our school(s). On those dates, all bus route pick-up times would be pushed back precisely 120 minutes. Dismissal times would remain the same per our published calendar. 

Planned Early Dismissal

On days when significant snow is planned to take place during the school day and will significantly impact the evening commute, we may choose to announce an early dismissal.  This decision will not be made on the day of an event and only prior to the event so parents can make arrangements.  On those dates, we will follow the early release dismissal schedule that we already use. 

Remote Learning from Home

All school buildings will be closed; however, students and staff will complete the school day from home. These days will count as student attendance days and will not be added to the calendar at the end of the school year. We are committed to announcing remote learning days the day before they are to occur, so you can best prepare. Should we have a day of remote learning from home, our Teaching and Learning Team, as well as your child’s teachers, will communicate the specific schedule for the day and other necessary information. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires that remote learning programs provide at least five hours of school work from home per day but does not obligate direct instruction from teachers. 

If you have questions, please contact our Communications Department at 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.

Kathryn E. Sheridan, KCSD96 Superintendent