Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 schools do not take weather-related decisions lightly. As with any decision, student learning is our top priority, but student safety is always our first consideration.
Here is some information about how the district balances the factors that come into play when we face a weather-related decision.
HOW THE CALL IS MADE
The district will make the call about delaying or closing school based on reports from our bus company, weather reports and information gathered from Unit 10 staff and municipal employees who are out driving and assessing road conditions in all parts of our school district. On occasion, frigid temperatures can make it dangerous for students to be outdoors for a length of time while traveling to and from school.
We use the following criteria to make a decision:
- Safety of students
- Impact on families in the affected areas if they must report for school
- Areas affected – is the event district-wide, localized or scattered?
- Ability of buses to get to students
CLOSURES, DELAYED STARTS & EARLY RELEASE
The district has three options in the event of bad weather: close schools for the day, delay the opening of school for two hours or release/dismiss students early.
Delayed Opening: In the event Unit 10 calls a 2-hour late opening, school will start 2 hours later than your normal bell time. For example, if your normal bell time is 8:00 AM, your scheduled late start time is 10:00 AM. The morning bus routes will run 2 hours later than normal. The school day will end at normal times.
Early Dismissal: Once children are in school, approximately two hours are required to get the last child home after a decision is made to close schools. For this reason, it is unlikely school will be canceled once classes are in session. However, when conditions dictate an early release, school will be dismissed. The School Messenger and Skylert notification systems will alert parents of early school dismissal. The district website and social media will carry early school dismissal information as soon as decisions are made. It is very important that parents have plans for younger children when there is a possibility school is dismissed early. In the event that the district releases students early due to weather, please communicate directly with your child’s school if alternate student pick-up plans are made.
HOW SCHOOL CLOSURE INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED
School closure, release and delay information is relayed in a variety of ways: The district instantly shares the information through our phone, text and email messaging systems, local television stations, district website and social media accounts. It is always a good idea to check updates posted on local television stations any time weather conditions are changing or in question.
If no report is made, it can be assumed that school will be in session. Please dress children for protection against prolonged exposure to the weather as a safety precaution.