Lansing USD 469 Inclement Weather Procedures
Launch the media gallery 1 playerEven though the weather in our area looks nice for the foreseeable future, winter weather is unfortunately right around the corner. If and when school is cancelled due to inclement weather, Lansing USD 469 is not currently planning on conducting remote learning on those days. Snow days will be handled the same as in previous years. We will notify parents and guardians if that changes.
We also wanted to remind families of our Lansing USD 469 Inclement Weather Procedures:
Lansing School District schools will be open on all regularly scheduled school days unless circumstances create health or safety issues. However, weather conditions can vary greatly in different neighborhoods and on different streets. We encourage parents to make attendance decisions for their children based on their specific ability to get to school safely.
Additionally, if your contact information has recently changed, please contact your child's school with current information or update your information in Skyward. This will enable the school and/or the district to notify you in the event of a late start, closure, or early release. If you are not notified by the designated channels listed below, you can safely assume your school is open. If you are concerned about your child’s ability to safely travel to school, please exercise your parental discretion to make the decision that is best for your child.
Here are some general philosophies regarding school closure decisions:
- I will use weather forecasts, radar, personal reconnaissance, and the opinions of colleagues in the decision-making process
- Safety is our top priority so, when in doubt, I try to err on the side of caution
- I will make the decision as soon as possible to give families a better chance to plan. I will not comment about the likelihood of cancelling school in advance of the decision.
- After the decision to cancel school is made, I will sometimes send a follow-up email explaining the factors involved. I will not typically send notices that school will be open as scheduled.
| METHODS OF NOTIFICATION |
- Skylert School Messenger Texts: You signed up for text messages during enrollment.
- Email: I will also send an email to all parents and employees.
- Media: We will air our closing announcements on KMBC TV 9, KCTV 5, WDAF TV 4, KSHB TV 41, KMBZ AM 980, KFKF FM 94.1, KCUR FM 89.3.
| COLD WEATHER CANCELLATIONS |
- Cold weather can prevent our diesel buses from operating properly and/or endanger students.
- In preparation for cold weather cancellations, the National Weather Service (NWS) has a very helpful wind chill and frostbite graph, which you can see here: https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-chart
- In order to err on the side of caution as promised, I will use a wind chill temperature of negative 15 degrees Fahrenheit as the cut-off point for canceling school. For your convenience, the decision will be made the night before using the 7:00 a.m. NWS forecast located at this site: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.2482&lon=-94.8875&unit=0&lg=english&FcstType=graphical
| CONTINGENCY PLANS |
- For your convenience, I will not delay the start of school. I will avoid dismissing school early whenever possible but circumstances may require it so please plan for that contingency.
- The decision to cancel school must be made by 6:00 a.m. It is possible that conditions will worsen between then and the start of school. If so, I cannot reverse the decision without endangering students because buses and many parents will have already departed. Therefore, if conditions worsen after 6:00 a.m., you will need to use your best judgment as to whether or not to send students to school.
- Parents always have the option to excuse an absence due to inclement weather or local road conditions.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.
Dan Wessel, Superintendent of Schools