School Closing Information
2009-10
Who makes the decision that schools should be closed, open late,
or dismiss early in bad weather?
The Superintendent makes the decision to close schools, open late,
or close early when weather conditions pose a hazard to students.
Decisions to cancel school and to have early dismissals are made to
keep all of our children safe. While the safety of students is the
district’s overriding concern, it is also important not to disrupt
children’s education unless it is really necessary.
Weather prediction is not an exact science. Some school closing
decisions are clear-cut, but others are more difficult, especially
without the advantage of hindsight. We will attempt to err on the
side of caution and would rather answer the calls that question why
we are not having school.
The most difficult aspect of making the decision during inclement
weather is the size of the school district. We comprise just over
100 square miles and weather conditions are often vastly different
from one area to another.
Parents need to remember that parts of a district this size may be
worse than the other parts. Parents always have the right to keep
their students at home because of safety reasons due to the
weather.
How does the Superintendent make his decision?
The Superintendent drives around the district and consults with
staff members and patrons around the district.
Current and predicted conditions-
How much snow is now on the ground and how many inches are
forecast? How fast is the snow falling? Is sleet or rain freezing
when it hits the ground? Are temperatures predicted to rise or fall
after sunrise?
Actual Driving Conditions-
The Superintendent drives the roads around 4:00 – 4:30 a.m. and
again at 5:00 – 5:30 a.m. to determine their condition. Both main
and side roads are covered to determine district-wide
conditions.
In addition, the Superintendent confers with neighboring school
districts to determine if weather conditions are widespread enough
to merit closing school or if more inclement weather is
approaching.
When must the decision be made to close schools or open late?
Ordinarily the decision is made by 5:30 a.m. in order to call the
school bus drivers before they leave for work. With very few
exceptions, the latest possible time to make the call is 6:00
a.m.
The decision to close school due to inclement weather is made as
early as possible to allow parents the maximum amount of time to
explore childcare alternatives.
A two-hour delay in the opening of school is sometimes all that is
needed to get children to school safely. Snow may stop, or in the
case of icy roads, temperatures may rise.
What circumstances would cause an early dismissal from school?
The School District tries to avoid emergency early dismissals
because some children may go home to an empty house. However, a
snowstorm may arrive sooner than expected, or the weather may
suddenly worsen during the day, and an early dismissal from school
is the most prudent course to take.
Every parent, but especially parents who are at work during the
day, should make arrangements with a neighbor so that if a child is
unexpectedly delivered home without a key or proper supervision, he
or she will know what to do and where to go.
How will I know whether schools are closed or opening late?
School closings, late starts, and emergency early dismissals are
announced on the radio, District Web Page
(www.milfordpublicschools.org), district phone and television.
Television - KOLN Channel 10/11 CBS and KLKN Channel 8
Radio Stations – KFAB 1110, KZKX 96 KX
When schools are closed, what happens to evening activities?
When schools are closed or must dismiss students early due to
weather conditions, all evening activities are canceled. This
includes sporting events, Community College classes and other
special events.
If schools are closed on a Friday, the Superintendent will make a
decision on whether Saturday activities will be held. This decision
will be announced to the public via radio and TV.
How are snow days made up?
For the 2009-10 school year the following applies: If schools are
closed for inclement weather, or other emergencies, make-up days
will be decided as needed. Announcements concerning makeup days
will be made as soon as possible, focusing on canceling vacation
days that are already in place and, in a worst-case scenario, we
will look at adding days to the calendar in May.
