This year, the Ohio Legislature has reduced the allotted number of calamity days (snow days or any other school closing days) from five days to three days. Governor-elect Kasich has been quoted as saying that he will push to reinstate the five day rule. However, regardless of whether the rule remains three days or returns to five days, the use of more than the allotted number of days will require that excessive use of calamity days be “made up.” These “make up” days will be held on normally scheduled holidays, over spring break or later in the month of June. While, under normal circumstances, the District has avoided using calamity/snow days in an attempt to maintain a strong learning environment, it is essential that the District be extra prudent in deciding when to use a calamity/snow day in the future.
We have already used two of our allotted calamity/snow days, so to help avoid the excessive use of the days, the District has decided to implement a delayed start to the school day procedure. The purpose of starting school later (delayed start) in the morning is to permit cities to clear the roadways, in order to allow for the safe transportation of students to school, while avoiding the use of a calamity/snow day.
Delayed starts to the school day will work in the following manner:
- School will start 2 hours later than the normally scheduled time.
- Morning bus routes will run two hours later than normal and follow their normal route.
- School will end at the normally scheduled time.
- School day schedules will be adjusted by principals.
- After-school activities may be subject to rescheduling or cancellations.
Based upon the above, during delayed starts:
- Memorial will begin at 9:35 a.m. rather than 7:35 a.m.
- Brush will begin at 10:05 a.m. rather than 8:05 a.m.
- Elementary schools will begin at 10:30 a.m. rather than 8:30 a.m.
- Greenview will begin at 11:05 a.m. rather than 9:05 a.m.
- All bus pick-ups will be two hours later than normal.
- The morning session of ArcTech will be cancelled.
- The morning session of preschool at Rowland will be cancelled.
- The afternoon session of preschool at Rowland will begin at the normal time.
- Busing for afternoon Vocational Tech classes outside of the District will begin at 10 a.m. Morning sessions of Vocational Tech classes at Brush will be cancelled.
Delayed starts will be announced via automated phone calls and on all of the local television stations, Channel 22 and 99, and the District’s website, and Facebook and Twitter pages. This does not mean that we will no longer have calamity/snow days. Rather, we hope that this will allow us to minimize the use of calamity/snow days. If you have any questions regarding “delayed starts,” please contact your child’s school.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we undertake this new procedure. While we understand the difficulty that this may create in some family schedules, we believe that the use of “delayed starts” is better than being required to have school on a non-scheduled school day. As always, parents have the right to keep a child at home should they not feel comfortable sending their child to school during questionable weather.
A copy of this notice is posted under "Documents" on each school's web page.