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e-Learning Days

Girl in heavy snow fall

How is the decision to close schools made?

Minnesota winters can bring severe weather that might lead to school closings or delays, but deciding to close or delay school is never simple. If C-I Schools need to close because of severe weather, we may use the eLearning Day Plan explained below.

Many factors are carefully considered to ensure the safety of students and staff, while also trying to accommodate all families in our district. Unfortunately, it's impossible to make a decision that works perfectly for everyone. With the complexity of weather-related choices, even nearby districts might make different decisions. Above all, safety is the top priority when deciding whether to keep schools open or closed.

School Closings & Alerts

Two-Hour Late Start

When early morning weather conditions are hazardous and forecast to improve, the district may call for a 2-Hour Late-Start.

In the instance of a two-hour delay, all transportation and school schedules shift exactly two hours later than the normal start time. For example, if your child’s school starts at 8:10 a.m., your child should be at school by 10:10 a.m. This is the same for the time your child should report to his/her bus stop. If the normal pick-up time is 7:15 a.m., your child should be at the bus stop by 9:15 a.m.

School dismissal times do not change. Only the morning start-time changes to allow more time for roads to be cleared.

Early Dismissal

When the weather worsens during the school day, after students have arrived, the district may call for an early dismissal. Parents and guardians are encouraged to have prior arrangements for the supervision of their child in the event an early dismissal is needed.

We realize this is a difficult situation for families, so it is important for schools to be able to reach parents and guardians and designated childcare providers during daytime hours. Please be sure your child’s school has accurate emergency contact information.

If the weather worsens and schools remain open, parents and guardians have the option to pick up their child early by checking them out through the school office following normal procedures.

Predicting The Weather: It's Not The Cold, It's The Wind!

Weather forecasts and road conditions are never completely predictable or exact but close watch is kept on these reports when there is a possibility of school closing. In the case of cold temperatures, the impact of sustained wind chills of 35-40 degrees below zero and greater become a significant factor when considering students who wait outside for buses or typically walk to school. Wind chill can cause frostbite and hypothermia making it more of a concern than actual temperature because it turns unpleasant cold weather into dangerous weather.

Keeping Students In School: Minimizing Disruptions To Learning

We try to give families the option of whether to send their child to school during severe weather due to snow or cold temperatures. Some families face hardship when school is canceled; especially related to employment or day care. Families who choose not to send their child to school may do so without any penalty. Absences due to inclement weather will be excused. Parents and guardians should report their child’s absence to the school if the decision is made to keep them home from school.

We intend to keep our schools open every school day possible during inclement weather. It is important to understand school closings that exceed the set calendar for our schools require make-up days in order to meet state requirements.

Safe Travel: Can Students Get To And From School Safely?

Transportation is always a key issue when determining whether to close or delay our schools. The ability for buses to safely and dependably transport students to and from school is determined. C-I Schools has a much higher rate of students that ride buses or carpool to school compared to metro area schools, which typically means the transportation method for our students is safer during inclement weather, particularly cold weather, than it is for metro area students.

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