School Closing Procedures Due to Severe Weather Conditions
Dear Students, Families, and Staff:
When weather conditions are severe, the Evansville Community School District follows a set of guidelines for determining if schools should be closed. The District will base a decision on what is best for all the students. The decision we make may not fit with individual family circumstances, therefore, we encourage and strongly support you in making a decision that is best for your child(ren). You are always the best judge of your child's health and safety.
Process for determining school closure due to severe weather:
- Gather information from multiple local and state weather forecasts.
- District Administrator, Director of Building and Grounds, and Scott and Julie Ringhand of Ringhand Bus Company, and the Rock County Sheriff's Department determine if roads are safe for student travel.
- Consult with other local School District Administrators.
Extreme cold:
When the National Weather Service issues a wind chill warning for Rock County during the school attendance day, school will be closed. Schools will not necessarily be closed if there is a wind chill advisory for the county, but an advisory will be considered when temperatures reach -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
School closings notification:
We make every effort to make a final decision prior to 6:30 a.m. We then communicate this decision to local news outlets, post information on our web page (www.ecsdnet.org) and call families through the School Messenger phone message system.
After school activities when school is closed:
When Evansville schools are closed for the day, it also means that all activities scheduled in school buildings for that day are canceled. This includes all programs and all after school programs. Exceptions may be made based on changes in weather conditions.
Late starts and early dismissal during severe weather:
In many of our families, parents/guardians work outside of the home and they may not have child care arrangements available for a severe weather late start time or an early dismissal. Therefore, we try to start school on time and keep school open until the regular dismissal time if it is safe. However, if your schedule allows and if you feel your child(ren) will be safer at home, you may bring your child(ren) to school late or pick up your child(ren) before the end of the school day. If you choose to bring your child(ren) to school late or pick up your child(ren) early, please report to the school office for attendance purposes.
When schools are closed for other reasons:
When we close schools for reasons other than severe weather, we will notify you through local news outlets, our web site (www.ecsdnet.org, and the School Messenger phone message system.
We appreciate your understanding and your support when severe weather decisions are made. Please know that the safety of every child is our highest priority.
Sincerely,
Jerry Roth
District Administrator
Evansville Community School District
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