Inclement Weather Procedures 

The Campbell County Schools Policy 06.21 states, "The Superintendent or designee has the authority to close schools when weather or other emergency conditions would make operating the school bus fleet unsafe." Policy 08.33 states, "When, in the judgement of the Superintendent, an emergency exists, he shall close the schools or reduce the hours of the school day as appropriate in the interest of the health and safety of the pupils."

Notification of closings, delays or dismissals will be sent directly to guardians via text and phone call.  These can also be found on the district webpage and are communicated to local media stations. 

How Cold Weather Affects School Closures or Delays

During winter, several factors can lead to school delays or closures, including the "feels like" temperature, which is influenced by air temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides three key alerts for cold weather:

  1. Cold Weather Advisory: Air temperatures or wind chills between -5 and -14°F.
  2. Extreme Cold Watch: Issued ahead of an event and may be upgraded to an advisory or warning.
  3. Extreme Cold Warning: Air temperatures or wind chills of -15°F or lower.

When the NWS issues an Extreme Cold Warning for Campbell County during school hours, we will likely close schools for the day. This decision is typically made on the morning of the event.

In the case of a Cold Weather Advisory, schools are generally open unless there are issues with the bus fleet or school buildings. We attempt to make these calls by 5:00 AM each day.

The safety of students and staff is our top priority. We ensure that school buildings are warm and safe, even in extreme cold. However, we urge parents to dress children appropriately for the weather, including hats, gloves, heavy coats, and boots.

How Snow or Ice Affects School Closures or Delays

Snow and ice pose significant challenges for student and staff safety, particularly in areas with steep or narrow roads. Our transportation team and district personnel work diligently, through the night and morning, to evaluate conditions on bus routes and turnaround areas to determine whether buses can safely navigate. If road conditions are hazardous, we may delay the start of school to allow for additional treatment of roads or, in some casess, close schools for the day.

Factors we consider include:

  • Road conditions reported by local and state agencies.
  • Observations from our transportation team as they drive routes.
  • The ability of buses to safely access all stops and turnarounds.
  • Weather forecasts for the timing of snow or ice accumulation.

When snow or ice creates widespread disruptions, safety remains our top priority. We aim to make these decisions by 5:00 AM to ensure families have time to plan for delays or closures. Modified bus stops can be found on the transportation website. 

Frequently Asked Questions ( 2024-2025 School Year)

What is the criteria your district uses to determine whether to have school?

A team convenes to analyze on a case-by-case basis, with a primary focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff. Decisions are guided by factors like extreme temperatures, wind chill, timing of student arrival and dismissal, electrical outages, bus turnarounds, road passage, and the needs of our students. We stay informed of National Weather Service advisories and warnings as well as local emergency management advisories to evaluate and prioritize the unique needs of our community. This approach is important in addressing the unique factors of each situation.

How many "traditional snow/weather" days can your district use? How many "remote learning" days can your district use?

As many traditional snow/weather days as necessary for safety and up to ten remote learning days. The Commissioner of Education can approve ten NTI days (remote learning) to count as student attendance days in school district calendars. We sought and received this pre-approval along with schools across Kentucky. NTI resources can be found here.

How have you prepared for students to attend school in cold?

We consider and provide for factors such as bus stop wait times, student access to warm clothing, and any potential building or bus mechanical issues that might arise. Our focus is ensuring students and staff are safe during extreme conditions, and that begins with us working proactively to meet all of the needs listed before cold weather arrives. 

In determining to cancel school, does the district consider switching to remote learning/non-traditional instruction (NTI)? 

We evaluate remote learning based on the situation, such as electrical outages, students’ needs, graduation date, spread of illness, and other key elements to ensure the best instructional environment for our students and staff. We value and prioritize in-person learning.

Are any traditional snow/weather days "free" or "built-in"? 

Each day gets added to the last day on the calendar.  The Board votes in March on the last day of school, graduation date, and if any student days are forgiven based on the number of instructional minutes students have met throughout the year. The calendar can be found here and will be updated after the March meeting.

What is the graduation date for the 2024-2025 school year? 

The graduation date and last day of school are set by the Board in March. This is also the meeting when the Board may consider forgiving a couple student traditional weather days, based on the number of instructional minutes students have met throughout the year.  The venue availability for graduation is currently June 2nd. The finalized graduation date and last day of school will be communicated with families promptly.