Decision-making Process

Each year, weather conditions such as snow, ice, flooding, and extreme cold may require the Elizabethtown Area School District to make difficult decisions regarding school delays, closures, or Bears Virtual Days. While we recognize the impact these decisions can have on families, the safety and well-being of students and staff always remains our highest priority.

The District considers a variety of factors when making weather-related decisions, including:

• Student and staff safety
• Current and forecasted weather conditions
• Road and sidewalk conditions
• Transportation operations
• Building and campus conditions

The information below explains the process and factors considered when determining whether to open, delay, or close school.

What Factors Are Considered When Making a Weather-Related Decision?

• Weather Conditions And The Forecast: The District makes use of many sources to receive the best available and most accurate weather information possible. This includes local forecasts, online sources for weather and radar, emergency management personnel, and our own team of select employees. However, forecasting the weather is not an exact science and weather conditions can change quickly for the worse (or better). Key factors considered include current weather conditions, predicted weather conditions, the hazard created by the weather conditions, and the timing of the inclement weather as it relates to the start and close of our school day.

• Road Conditions Throughout The District: The Elizabethtown Area School District covers over fifty square miles, stretching from the Susquehanna River to the borders of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties. Weather conditions can vary drastically from one area of our school district to another. While main roads may be clear and free of snow, sleet, and ice, many rural roads in our municipalities may pose a safety hazard not only for our bus fleet but also for walkers, car riders, and student drivers alike. In assessing current and predicted road conditions, the District communicates with the Road Masters from each municipality, our contracted transportation provider, and a team from our buildings and grounds department, as well as local first responders and emergency management officials who help provide information on current and future travel conditions. Rest assured the conditions of our roads and sidewalks play a major role in determining whether or not a decision is made to delay or close school.

• School Building And Parking Lot Conditions: Snow and ice must be removed from parking lots and sidewalks to ensure the safety of students, staff, and visitors. The District’s dedicated buildings and grounds team often works during the overnight and early morning hours to prepare the school campuses to open in a safe and timely manner. Depending on the weather, this is no small feat and can create quite a challenge to remain ahead of the weather so the campuses are safe to open. The opening of school may be delayed or even closed if we believe our campuses are not safe.

• Status Of Our Transportation Fleet: The District contracts with Durham School Services and Faithful Transport to provide its bus service. In an extreme weather event, buses need to be cleared of snow and ice to ensure safe travel. While each transportation company works in the early morning hours to prepare the buses for service, ongoing weather conditions can make it a challenge to get the bus fleets on the road. The District consults with its transportation companies during a weather event to determine if the buses can safely transport students.

When is the Decision Made to Close School?

The decision to open, delay, or close school due to a weather event (i.e. snow, ice, extreme temperatures) is typically made between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. to allow for proper communication to our families and staff. In some instances, based on the forecast or severity of the weather event, we are able to make that decision the night before and share with our families at that time. However, given the fickle and ever changing nature of weather this is not always possible.

What If Weather Conditions Suddenly Worsen?

Choosing to delay or close school is not a decision the District takes lightly, as we certainly recognize the importance of keeping our students and staff safe and at the same time understand that unplanned schedule changes can be disruptive to a household. However, there are times when weather deteriorates after the initial decision, causing a two-hour delay to change to a school closing. Please know, we do our best to make the initial decision based on the above-mentioned criteria but we all know the nature of weather and forecasts can be unpredictable and may require a revised decision.

Can I Keep My Child Home If I Don't Feel Conditions Are Safe?

Yes. If we decide to hold school, it is because the District has determined it is safe to do so. However, the decision to send your child to school ultimately rests with each family. We want to emphasize that parents/guardians have the right to keep students home from school, take them to school, or provide your own transportation to school later when the roads are less of a concern if they feel the road conditions are unsafe. Students that drive to school do so under parent/guardian direction. Student drivers who are eligible for bus transportation always have the option to take the bus to and from school. This decision is between you and your child.

What Factors Typically Lead to a School Delay or Closure?

• Current And Forecasted Weather: The timing of a weather event and/or the severity of the predicted weather event plays a large role in the District’s decision to delay or cancel school. When forecasts call for twenty plus inches of snow the decision is easy. However, in most instances, the forecast calls for one to three inches of snow during the overnight hours or early morning hours making the decision much more difficult. As explained above, the District uses all available information on the forecast to make its decision keeping student safety at the forefront.

• Hazardous Travel Conditions: When an extreme weather event has occurred or is occurring, snow, ice, and sleet on the roadways may make travel hazardous. As such, given the safety of our students and staff is paramount, we may delay the opening of school to allow for travel conditions to improve or cancel school outright if the inclement weather is to continue throughout the day keeping travel conditions dangerous.

• Extreme Temperatures: Extremely cold temperatures can create safety concerns for students and staff, particularly for walkers, student drivers, and individuals waiting outdoors for transportation. In addition to concerns related to prolonged exposure to cold weather, extreme temperatures may create operational challenges for the District, including issues with heating systems, frozen pipes, transportation equipment, and other building-related concerns. When evaluating extreme cold weather events, the District considers current and forecasted conditions, overall safety, and the potential impact on students, staff, transportation, and school operations when determining whether a delay or closure is warranted.

Common Myths About School Delays and Closings

• We Want To Get The Day In: While we believe the continuity of instruction is invaluable and school delays and closings can disrupt instruction, the myth that we “want to get the day in” is not factual. Snow days are built into the District calendar and additional days can be added to the end of the school year so it is not necessary to “get the day in” at the expense of student and staff safety.

• All School Districts Talk And Make The Same Decision: Given the interconnectivity of school districts in Lancaster County and the programs and services being provided by each, school district leadership naturally communicates with one another during a weather event as each individual decision can have ramifications on neighboring districts. However, the decision to open, delay, or close school is uniquely the decision of each school district and just because one closes does not necessarily mean all others will close.