Our district sent an email and all call out regarding the inclement weather policy, but I wanted to share that information again for those that may have missed it.
Unpredictable winter weather may necessitate Boone County Schools to alter daily schedules or routines within the district. To be prepared, please log into your Parent Portal to make sure your emergency contact information is correct and up to date. This is how we will contact you. Also, have child-care arrangements already in place should the need arise to close school early, delay or cancel school.
Decision process
Boone County Schools have a great team working tirelessly to make decisions on closing or delaying school, always keeping the safety of our students as the top priority. As early as 3:00 a.m., if snow, freezing rain, sleet or other dangerous precipitation presents our Assistant Superintendent for Operations set out to inspect the road conditions. They drive designated routes, checking the roadways that are typically the most dangerous when snow covered. The team considers safe travel not only on streets but sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways. Other conditions to consider include the outside temperature, wind chill factor and the amount of precipitation fallen or falling. The Assistant Superintendent for Operations contacts the county public works department to check on road clearing progress. Once enough information is gathered and shared with the Superintendent the team focuses on one question: Would you feel safe transporting students in a school bus in the current or predicted conditions?
Whenever travel is affected by winter weather the District has four choices:
* Cancel school
* Delay opening
* Early dismissal
* Open on schedule
The team attempts to make a decision by 5:00 a.m. There are times when a decision is not clear-cut, for instance in cases of a snow storm happening right at the time of assessment.
Getting the word out
Once a decision is made, the notification process begins. We get the word out as quickly as possible, through our phone notification system, news media outlets, district social media outlets and the district’s webpage. Since the phone system has thousands of households to call, it can take 45 minutes to an hour for all the messages to go out. Please note that this information is general in nature and you should always refer to your child's school protocol for school closings and delays.
In the meantime, visit the following to check the district’s status:
• Website: www.boone.kyschools.us
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheBooneCountySchools
• X ( Formerly Twitter): @Boone_County and @BCSWx
If school is canceled:
Schools will not be open for regular business.
All afternoon and evening activities, including night school, are canceled as well. However, if conditions improve and after-school activities can safely be held, an announcement will be made.
If school is delayed:
All schools start either one or two hours later than normal. Buses may run their regular routes or an altered route depending on weather and road conditions at the time; just add one or two hours to the regularly scheduled pick up times depending on the length of the delay.
School dismissal times remain the same, and afternoon and evening activities continue as usual unless weather conditions deteriorate throughout the day.
Decisions about making up the time missed will be made on a case-by-case basis in accordance with state guidelines.
If schools dismiss early:
The decision will be made as early as possible to allow families time to make arrangements.
Children in the morning preschool sessions who ride the bus will be taken home at the regular time, and afternoon preschool sessions are canceled.
Decisions about making up the time missed will be made on a case-by-case basis in accordance with state guidelines.
Although students may get excited for an unanticipated day off from school, they will have to make up missed days before school ends for the year. However, the Board of Education does have the authority to adjust the school year calendar by reducing student days as long as the calendar meets all KDE requirements for attendance.
The Boone County Schools will always make decisions to ensure the safety of our students and staff to the best of our ability.
