SCHOOL CLOSING DECISIONS
At the first sign of flurries, students across the district begin to wish for a Snow Day. We understand that the decision to close schools during inclement weather impacts your family. Our top priority is the safety of our students and staff. Ultimately, the decision to send your child to school on days with threatening weather is up to you. If you choose to keep your child at home please contact the school office to report your child’s absence. It will be counted as an excused absence. Also, please discourage teenagers from driving in poor weather conditions and offer them alternatives as weather conditions worsen.
How is the decision made to cancel school?
Many factors are carefully analyzed when making the decision to remain open or close schools in bad weather, such as:
- Information on road conditions from township road departments, local law enforcement and our transportation department. Even if your street looks clear, dangerous road conditions may exist in the district. Kenston Schools covers 54 square miles.
- Amount of snow and ice accumulated
- Whether or not the precipitation will continue throughout the day
- Temperature and wind chill
- Weather predictions (including those from the weather alert service)
- Storm Timing
- Building conditions (such as whether they have electricity, heat or water)
- Parking lot conditions
When is the decision made?
The decision to close will generally be made by 5:30am or earlier. Notifications will be delivered via our automated calling system, local TV stations, district and high school home pages of the website, Twitter @KenstonSchools or by calling the School Closing Hotline at
440-564-2134
.
How many days or hours can we miss?
State law now allows schools to change to an hour-based schedule eliminating the need for calamity days. Kenston still has over 8 days (already subtracting KMS closures/early release and the November 6th, no power day) worth of instructional hours beyond the state minimum. At this time, we do not anticipate the need to make-up days due to inclement weather or calamity days.
What about bus service for non-public schools?
If school is cancelled for the day, non-public bus service will not be provided.
If school is cancelled for the day, will after-school activities be held?
School activities such as student performances, parent or committee meetings, parent/teacher conferences and all middle school and freshman athletic events and practices will be cancelled. However, varsity and junior varsity level athletic activities may still take place later that evening, weather permitting. The decision to cancel varsity and junior varsity contests and practices will be made by 1pm on the day of the school closing. Notification of any such closings will be available on the district’s and high school’s home page.
Are District Offices open when school is cancelled?
Generally, the Board Office will be open. District administrators and school principals will report to work when conditions are safe for them to do so. School buildings will not be open.
