General Information

Procedure for Closings and Delays

Closing school because of snow or inclement weather is an issue that confronts us each winter.  Safety is our primary concern.  Parents want to know as early as possible since many have to make child-care arrangements for the day.  The decision is difficult to make because “Mother Nature” does not always cooperate with snowfalls at convenient times so we can let you know there will a two-hour delay, or no school at all.  The decision is especially difficult when light snow starts to fall sometime after 1:00 a.m.

Overview of Delays and Cancellations

A decision is made as early as possible in the morning.  This is usually between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m.  If the snowfall is heavy and ongoing during the night, and the weather predictions call for additional accumulation, (or we expect an ice storm), then the decision is easy.  If an unexpected ice storm occurs after 6:00 a.m., a delay may be called.  Only in the most drastic of circumstances will school be cancelled after 6:00 a.m.  If a two-hour delay is called, this means we are waiting for conditions to improve.  If conditions do not improve, we may upgrade the delay to a school closing.  Parents of small children need to make provisions for their children to be cared for in case a delay is upgraded to a closing.

When and How the Decision is Made

The director of fiscal services calls the superintendent between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. to review the situation.  This call is made after the director has spoken with the bus contractors and/or the police and street departments.  Both the director and the superintendent closely monitor weather conditions through the local media.  If a decision is made too close, radio stations are notified immediately.  The individual stations know if Keystone Oaks has issued a delay or school closing.  The KO administration has no control over when the stations make this announcement.  Our goal is to have the initial announcement on the 6:00 a.m. newscast.  However, there may be situations beyond our control, where the weather changes and we are forced to close school or have a delay after 6:00 a.m. 

Closing Due to Cold Temperatures 

The district also will close school if advance weather predictions call for extremely cold temperatures.  If the wind-chill factor falls below –37 degrees Fahrenheit, school will be closed.  KO school physicians from Children’s Hospital tell us that skin exposed to this wind-chill temperature will freeze within two or three minutes.  We do not want children walking to school or waiting at bus stops under these conditions.

Television and Radio Stations Notified 

KDKA TV (Channel 2, Radio AM 1020)
WTAE TV (Channel 4, Radio AM 1250)
WPXI TV (Channel 11)
KQV Radio (AM 1410)
B94 (FM 93.7)
3WS (FM 94) 

Early Dismissals

If snow is falling during the day, we may have to call for an early dismissal if it appears road conditions will become much worse at the time of regular dismissal.  In some instances, this may simply involve sending home the high school and middle school students ten (10) to thirty (30) minutes early to insure the buses are not behind schedule when they reach the elementary schools.

In other instances, we may be forced to dismiss all students early.  We realize this poses a special problem for parents of younger children in households where no one is typically home during the day.  One of the reasons why the decision to close schools in the morning is so difficult is because we want to avoid early dismissal situations.  Historically, it is extremely rare that conditions would warrant sending home the elementary students early.  Parents need to monitor the situation through the radio and television, or even contact the schools if it appears conditions are such that we may send the students home early.  We ask that parents be prepared for the event of an early dismissal.

Other Considerations 

The following information will answer the questions most frequently asked by students and their parents regarding school delays and cancellations.

***  The superintendent bears the ultimate responsibility for the decision to cancel school or call a delay.  In most cases, it is made after consultation with our director of fiscal services.

***  Buses for the elementary school children sometimes run behind schedule in bad weather due to transporting secondary students to their respective schools before going to pick up the elementary students.  Thus, delays on each trip to secondary schools compound the delay to elementary schools.

***  No child should wait more than twenty (20) minutes for a school bus.  The parent’s judgment is the most important factor here.  They decide what is best for their child.  The parent is responsible for determining how long the child should wait at the bus stop or if the sidewalks or roads are too slippery for safety.  The school honors the parent’s judgment by marking as “excused” the tardiness or absence that results from the parent’s decision.

The primary concern of the Keystone Oaks School District is the safety of the children.  If you should have any questions, comments, concerns, or problems, please call 412-571-6012.