Thursday, December 5, 2013

Inclement Weather

As the first round of winter weather begins to move through the area, it provides a good opportunity to review the District's procedures for inclement weather, school closings and opening on a snow schedule. Information regarding school closings or schedule changes due to inclement weather will be posted on the front page of the District website as soon as a decision is made. Typically, a decision to close school or open on a snow schedule is not made until 5:00 a.m. on the morning in question.

On days when the District is closed or on a snow schedule, SchoolMessenger, the District’s broadcast telephone messaging system, will call all District families at their primary contact number at approximately 6:00 a.m. to announce a closing or late start. Evening events and activities are typically canceled on days that schools are closed unless otherwise noted on the District website or in the closing announcement.

The School District of Clayton also posts school closings on the following radio and television stations:
  • Radio - KMOX (1120 AM)
  • Television - KTVI (Channel 2), KMOV (Channel 4), KSDK (Channel 5), KLPR (Channel 11) and KDNL (Channel 30).
School closing information may also be obtained by calling the District Administration Building at 314-854-6000.
Opening on a Snow Schedule
One option for addressing inclement weather is opening on a snow schedule. If the weather or road conditions are not severe enough to warrant cancellation, but problematic enough to cause delays, this option will give students and staff additional time to get to school without having to use a full snow day. The announcement that the District is opening on a snow schedule would be made at the same time and via the same channels that are used to announce school closings. Please review the following items so that you can better understand what would happen if the District opens on a “Snow Schedule:”

  • All schools will start one hour late, the same times as on Late Start Days.
  • VICC buses and the Meramec bus will pick up one hour late, the same times as on Late Start Days.
  • Schools will follow the Late Start Day schedule with the exception that there will be no before-school childcare provided at the Family Center or any elementary school.
  • All before-school meetings, programs, sports practices and activities are canceled, including:
    • KidZone at Captain, Meramec and the Family Center/CHS
    • GCC at Glenridge
    • Zero-hour classes as Clayton High School
  • All school buildings will be open at the following times to receive students:
    • Family Center/Maryland School – regular “sign-in” time for Late Start Days
    • Elementary Schools – 9:20 a.m.
    • Wydown Middle School – 8:30 a.m.
    • Clayton High School – 8:30 a.m.
  • All after-school meetings, programs, sports practices and activities will proceed as scheduled unless additional inclement weather causes the District to cancel after-school and evening activities/programs at some point during the day.
Canceling After-School and Evening Activities
Often the timing of a winter storm will be such that the District will cancel after-school and evening activities in order for students and staff to be able to get home safely. A decision to cancel after-school or evening activities will usually be made by 2 or 2:30 p.m. on the day in question. Canceling after-school and evening activities applies to all District meetings and events, school meetings and events, school clubs, activities, athletic practices and games. KidZone and GCC will remain open until their regular closing times but parents are encouraged to pick their children up early if possible.