Safe Students = Informed Parents
Minnesota weather is sometimes difficult to predict. It is essential to anticipate and prepare for school closings, delayed openings and early dismissals. Our local public and parochial schools follow a coordinated plan to ensure the safety of our children. Three area superintendents will try to announce school closings or late starts by 10:00 p.m. the night before severe weather, or as soon as information becomes available. When a morning emergency closing or a late start is required, every effort will be made to reach a decision prior to 5:30 a.m.
Winter Weather Plan
The purpose of the weather-related closing plan is to assist parents, guardians and students to be better prepared to deal with emergency situations. Parents are encouraged to make special child care arrangements in the event of a late start, early release or a school closing. Ultimately, the parent or guardian should make the final decision about whether a child should attend school during severe weather.
Extreme Temperatures
As the weather turns colder, we often receive phone calls and emails with questions from staff, families, and the media regarding possible school closings due to extreme cold. Student safety is always at the forefront of our decision-making. School closing decisions are rarely easy and require much communication between the district, transportation, city or county officials and weather experts.
In school districts throughout Minnesota, decisions are based on information provided by many sources, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N.O.A.A.). The N.O.A.A. provides a Wind Chill Chart. The chart details the combination of wind speed and temperature to determine the amount of time it could take to potentially suffer from frostbite. When the combination of temperature and wind speed falls into the 5-Minute Threshold, school districts typically delay or close schools.
We monitor the weather closely, but we do not usually make final decisions about delaying or closing school until morning. We always attempt to make the decisions as early as possible. For this reason, when deciding school closings due to weather, we may wait to obtain the most current weather information to make the best decision.
Skylert is a great communication tool for families and allows us to communicate important information as soon as a decision is made. You can also receive updates via our website and social media.
Various winter weather statements, watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service. School officials use these statements as indications that weather conditions may cause the cancellation or early dismissal of school. Heavy snowfall, ice storms, extreme cold and strong winds are not the only contributors to an emergency situation. Fog can be equally dangerous. While the sun may be shining in one area, visibility may be reduced to a few feet in another location, creating a potential hazard.
In any weather emergency, the main objective is to provide protection and a safe environment for students. Sauk Rapids-Rice, Sartell- St. Stephen, and the St. Cloud Area School District use a coordinated, weather-related emergency closing plan. Radio stations and news services will be contacted on behalf of each district, but area residents should recognize that the three school districts are working together on these decisions.
During the 2019-2020 school year, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools will use eLearning days after the third full school day emergency or weather closure of the school year.
On the fourth and subsequent emergency full-day closing, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools and St. Cloud Area Schools will institute eLearning days for kindergarten through grade 12.
eLearning days for these districts will be announced in conjunction with the emergency closing information through local media and district-wide emails.
If school is CANCELLED is due to snow: ALL student activities are cancelled. Community Education, Early Childhood, ABE, Recreation, and all building use is cancelled. If school is CANCELLED is due to extreme cold: ALL student activities are cancelled. Community Education, Early Childhood, ABE, Recreation, and all building use is cancelled. . . . . . Buses will arrive two hours later than normal and classes will start . . . . . ALL after school and evening activities are cancelled, including Community Education, Early Childhood, Adult Education, Recreation and ALL use of facilities. No STORM After School. If after school activities are cancelled for the day, KIDSTOPs will remain open until 6:00 p.m. . . . . . ALL after school and evening activities are cancelled, including Community Education, Early Childhood, Adult Education, Recreation and ALL use of facilities. Buildings are closed. All KIDSTOPs and Rice Kids’ Club will remain open until 4:00 p.m. Parents are asked to pick up their children as soon as safely possible and no later than 4:00 p.m. Storm After School is Closed. |
Receive closing information wherever you are, by phone, text and email through Skylert. This system is used to let families and community members know about emergency situations, weather-related delays/cancellations, changes to scheduled events, and general school information. You can decide the contact method(s) by which you receive messages. Visit our Skylert page for more information or to sign-up. |
Announcements regarding school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissals are announced on the St. Cloud Times website, Facebook, Twitter and the following stations:
TV
