School Closure/Early Dismissal Information Due to Weather
Should the need arise due to inclement weather and/or questionable road conditions, PSD may implement a delayed start of all schools by 2 hours. The following is important information for parents regarding notification of delayed start, as well as a refresher on school closure and early release plans.
1. Delayed Start of Schools Due to Weather, Road Conditions Should the need a rise, the delayed school start time will be 2 hours, for all schools.
· Delayed start decision: A decision about delayed start will be made by 5:30 a.m.
· Parent notification: Visit the PSD website at www.psdschools.org or tune in to local radio or television stations to find out about delayed start the morning of the day in question. Please do not call schools, district offices, or broadcast media. No announcements by media and on the website means all schools are open as usual.
· Bus pick up times: Buses will pick up students at bus stops 2 hours later than regularly scheduled pick-up times. Buses will make every effort to be punctual, although traffic and road conditions may increase travel time. Please ensure your child is dressed warmly in anticipation of a potentially longer wait time. Parents are encouraged to walk their children to bus stops and avoid walking along the roadways. Sidewalks are safer even if these areas are not cleared of snow.
· Drop off and arrival times: Parents dropping off students, students who walk, and students driving to school should arrive 2 hours after their regular arrival times. Please do not arrive earlier.
· Kindergarten and Early Childhood programs: Morning-only kindergarten programs and morning Early Childhood programs are cancelled when there is a delayed start schedule. Afternoon kindergarten and afternoon Early Childhood programs will run on normal schedules. Full-day kindergarten and full-day Early Childhood programs will start 2 hours later than normal.
· Before- and after-school childcare: B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Enrichment) Camp will open as normally scheduled for students attending these programs. If your childcare provider is other than B.A.S.E. Camp, contact them for start times.
· School dismissal times: School dismissal times will remain on regular schedules, including bus drop-off times in neighborhoods and parent pick-up times at schools.
2. School Closures Due to Weather, Road Conditions If schools are closed due to inclement weather and/or questionable road conditions, parents should visit PSD’s website at www.psdschools.org for information about school closures or tune in to local radio and television stations the morning of the day in question.
Media outlets are informed if schools are closed. No announcements on the PSD website or by the media means all schools are open as usual.
A decision about weather-related school closures is made by 5:30 a.m., and media outlets are notified immediately. Parents should NOT call schools, district offices, or broadcast media.
The PSD website (www.psdschools.org) and the following radio and television stations will provide information about PSD school closures. We will notify Spanish radio stations KGRE 1450 AM and KJJD 1170 AM for Spanish speaking families.
Note: When PSD schools are closed, B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Enrichment) Camp will be closed.
Television Stations (Comcast Cable channels are listed below; channels vary by provider):
Channel 2, CW2 Colorado/KWGN-TV
Channel 4, CBS4 Denver
Channel 5, CBS 5 (Northern Colorado)
Channel 7, 7News KMGH
Channel 9, 9News KUSA
Channel 10, PSD public access TV (available on Comcast and U.S. Cable)
Channel 13, Fox 31
Radio Stations:
KCOL 600 AM
KCSU 90.5 FM
KFKA 1310 AM
KGRE 1450 AM
KJJD 1170 AM
KVUU 99.9 FM
KKQZ 94.3 FM
KOA 850 AM
KOOL 105 FM
KPAW 107.9 FM
KIIX 1410 AM
KRFC 88.9 FM
KISS 96.1 FM
KUAD/K99 99 FM
KUNC 91.5 FM
TRI 102 102.5 FM
Other Media:
Fort Collins Coloradoan: www.coloradoan.com
Northern Colorado Tribune at www.greeleytribune.com
3. Early Release of Schools Due to Weather, Road Conditions If the weather forecast suddenly changes to adverse conditions, PSD may put in to action an early release. Parents are urged to develop a plan for your student’s early release to your home. B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Enrichment) Camp will not be available after school if schools release students early.
When PSD makes a decision to close schools earlier than the regularly-scheduled release times due to inclement weather and/or questionable road conditions, parents will be notified by phone. In addition, the PSD website (www.psdschools.org) and media outlets (listed above) will communicate early release information.
Parents are urged to make sure family contacts and telephone numbers are current at your child’s school for such an emergency.
*Each time there is a concerning accumulation of snow or a fear that the roads will be impassable, PSD transportation team members perform roadway checks throughout the district. Each person on this team is assigned to cover areas east of I-25, Wellington, Fort Collins, Rist Canyon, Red Feather and Highway 287 (to the Wyoming border). Each member of the team drives 130 to 160 miles when checking road conditions.
Members consider travel safety for busses and school staff when checking road conditions. It is the individual decision of parents to determine whether they feel their high school aged student(s) are capable of driving in these conditions. Parents may choose to explore other options, like finding alternative transportation, if they do not want their child driving to school. Parents have the option to keep their child at home if they do not feel it is safe for their child to walk or ride to school due to weather and/or road conditions.
For additional information about the policy and procedures, contact the transportation department at 490-3155.