The decision to go or cancel school based on inclement weather is one that is not made easily. Obviously, living in Indiana in January and February means that we will have numerous opportunities for inclement weather of one type or another.
The Superintendent always starts with the premise that school will be in session and will open on time. A day of school is valuable and costly, however, safety is always the major consideration. Just canceling school is not the only safety consideration. Children home alone, delays called after parents leave for work, and changes in schedule which happen too late for parents to make alternative arrangements, are also safety considerations. It is important for parents to plan for emergencies, but it is not always possible to plan for every situation. If we can get children to school safely, they are far safer there than home alone.
It should also be noted that a school bus is the safest form of transportation on an inclement weather day. Certainly safer than an inexperienced teenage driver in a car.
Here is a general idea of the process:
1. The Superintendent monitors the internet weather radar and news reports about the weather.
2. She contacts others including BCSC transportation and grounds personnel for their assessments.
3. The Superintendent then consults with other superintendents in the county as to their plans.
4. When snow and bad roads are the issue, she travels the roads at 4:30 a.m. to be sure they are passable and that BCSC parking lots and sidewalks are usable.
5. If the decision is to delay or close school, the latest that decision can be made is 6 a.m. At that point radio and TV stations are notified, information is posted on the web site, BCSC-TV, on each Corporation telephone, and an AlertNow call is made to staff and parents. Area police departments are also made aware the decision.
There may be circumstances that make it impossible for children to come to school in inclement weather, for example if they must walk to school or to the bus stop and the sidewalks or roads are impassable. The final decision must always be the parents’ decision. If parents determine that their child cannot get to school safely, then administrators have been instructed to count the students with an excused absence. Students in that situation may make up all work for full credit.
