School Closing/ Weather
Safety First
Canceling school is a complicated decision that affects students, staff and families. Our schools provide students with a safe and stable place to learn. Some students rely on the school district for breakfast and lunch. Canceling school may cause some families hardships related to finding childcare. Canceling school is an exception and we do everything possible to keep schools open.
Some criteria used in making the decision to cancel school:
- The safety and well-being of students and staff
- Severity of the weather (extreme cold, flooding, etc.)
- Timing of weather (overnight, weekend, etc.)
- The ability for buses and cars to travel safely
If it is decided to close schools or delay the start time, every attempt will be made to announce the decision as soon as possible.
School closings and other urgent information will be relayed via the following communications:
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Phone, email and text messages will be sent to parents/guardians and staff via the district’s Notification Service.
Please check your information in the parent portal or contact your school’s office to verify your contact information. - Notices will be posted at the following locations:
District Home Page
District Twitter Account
District Facebook Page
- Radio & TV Announcements will be made over area stations.
Athletics & After School Activities/Events
- All athletics cancellations, changes, and postponements will be posted on the Athletics Calendars
- NRC Clubhouse (Latchkey program) will be closed if school is cancelled.
- All other event notices will be posted on the district's Calendar of Events which is updated live as information is entered.
Emergency Closing During the Day
Schools will not generally be dismissed because of storms arising during the school day, as long as students and teachers can remain at school in safety. The primary reason for this is to avoid the dangers of sending students home when the parent is absent. If a school is dismissed prior to the regular dismissal time, every possible attempt will be made to notify the parents or guardians to be aware that the students are coming home. During threatening weather parents should take care to supply to the school an alternate name or destination to be used in case the parent cannot be reached.
Tornado Warnings
If a tornado warning occurs during the hours that your student is in school, he/she will remain at school until the all-clear signal has been announced by radio or TV. Regular tornado drills are scheduled and students are instructed by their teachers as to the safest location in school.
2 Hour Delay protocols
Calling a 2 Hour Delay is another weather safety precaution and would most likely be used in second-day instances following a weather closing day. Two-hour delays do not count against our statutorily-required hours in the school year.
In the event of a 2-hour weather delay (10AM start) in USD 373, the following protocols would be followed:
1. Start time: The school day would begin at 10 am for all students.
2. No AM Preschool at Cooper Early Education Center. However, the afternoon preschool schedule would remain normal. Full Day preschool would report at 10am.
3. Zero Hour at NHS: There would be no Zero hour for Newton High School.
4. Buses will still run regular routes, just delayed by 2 hours.
5. Weather-related tardies: Each school building would use discretion regarding first-period weather-related tardies.
6. Breakfast would not be served on a 2-hour delay school day.
7. Teachers and teaching support staff would be required to report at 9:30 am.
8. Transportation for CMS and SF students: Chisholm and/or Santa Fe students would not be transported to the upper-grade attendance centers for scheduled classes (ex. A SF student who takes one class at CMS). Those students would start at their regular attendance center school.
9. Morning Area-Wide Students: No morning area-wide students would report to USD 373 during the 2-hour delay. Area-wide students are students enrolled in other districts who take one or more courses at NHS.
10. There would be no AM NRC Clubhouse.
These protocols are designed to address various aspects of the school day and ensure a smooth operation despite the weather delay.