Kiona-Benton City School District utilizes both SchoolMessenger and FlashAlert for disseminating school closure and other emergency information

  • Determining School Closures or Delays

    The Kiona-Benton City School District transportation staff will check multiple areas throughout the area to determine the overall road conditions for the day.  Our school district area covers roughly 77 square miles of roadway; therefore, while there may be only areas of wet or bare roads in some places, there may be ice and snow-covered roads in others.  The school district must take all these factors into account when determining the status of school:  whether it be on-time, delayed, or closed for the day. 

    Communicating Closures and Delays

    As soon as the decision is made to delay or close school due to inclement weather, our district will begin announcing the decision no later than 6:30 AM. These announcements will be made through the following:

    1. Local TV and radio stations
    2. Ki-Be website www.kibesd.org
    3. Automated calls to students’ families (robo calls) **
    4. FlashAlert
    5. Social media
      1. Facebook @KiBeSchools
      2. Twitter @KIBE_District
      3. Instagram @kionabentonschooldistrict

    FlashAlert

    The Ki-Be School District also utilizes the media notification system FlashAlert Newswire to communicate school closure/delay information with local TV, radio, and news stations. As soon as a decision has been made to delay or close school, this information is posted to the FlashAlert website. The public is encouraged to check this website in the mornings for accurate and reliable information direct from the District. You can access Ki-Be’s FlashAlert posts by going to flashalert.net/id/KiBe or by clicking on the Closures & Alerts quick link on the home page of our district and school websites. You can also sign up to receive free email and/or text alerts from our school district through FlashAlert whenever we post a closure or delay message! Sign up at flashalert.net/id/KiBe.

    ** If your phone number is correct in our Student Information Center (Power School), you will automatically receive a Robo Call informing you of the latest delays/closure notices. If you have never received a robo call before, or want to ensure that you do receive one, please call your child's school office and (a) confirm the phone number on file and (b) indicate that you're wanting to receive these "weather watch robo calls."

    This service allows parents and guardians to receive phone calls and email notifications about school emergencies, closures and general school announcements. If you are not already receive school closure or receiving general school information call contact your child's school.

    School Messenger

    This service allows parents and guardians to receive phone calls and email notifications about school emergencies, closures and general school announcements. If you are not already receive school closure or receiving general school information call contact your child's school.

    If you are signed up and receiving calls you can also download the mobile app SchoolMessenger infoCenter. A powerful new way to stay connected.

    SM infocenter   
      

     SchoolMessenger Parent Preferences

    Weather Related Closure Info

    The decision to delay or close is generally made by 5:30 A.M. Notification of the delay or closure is given to the following radio and TV stations by 6:00 A.M. We occasionally decide to close school after the announcement for delay when conditions do not improve or worsen. That decision is made before 8:00 A.M. and those same stations are notified. Those stations are: