Indiana
weather is unpredictable. Parents are advised to work out
a "back-up plan" with
and for their students in case school is not open during normal
hours. The following information is designed to help families
prepare for just such an event.
CLOSINGS
State law requires that
schools be in session for 180 days. When there is an unscheduled
school closing, the school day will have to be made up at a later
date unless the state grants a waiver. School corporation officials
make decisions about school closings based on weather information,
by directly checking road conditions, and from communications
with highway departments, police agencies, and neighboring school
systems. School closings will always be announced as early as
possible but seldom can be announced the night before. When it
is necessary to call school off in the morning, radio and TV
stations are contacted before 6:00 a.m. When bad weather conditions
threaten, tune in to one of the following:
Families who wish to receive text message alerts about MCSC delays or closings may wish to sign up for the Channel 8 text alert system. This system is activated when our district calls in information to the television station and those who use is may specify which school district(s) they wish to receive information about. Please note that this is provided by a third party and this link will send you to a page outside of the Mooresville schools website.
DELAYS
When school
is having a two-hour delay:
1. High school and middle
school will begin at 9:50; the elementaries will open at 10:30
with classes beginning at 10:50.
2. Kindergarten will
run on an alternate schedule with morning classes meeting from
10:30a.m.-12:30p.m. and afternoon classes from 1:15-3:15p.m.
Developmental preschool will not be in session.
3. Bus pick-up times
will be about two hours later than usual.
4. If conditions worsen
during the two-hour delay, school may be closed for the day,
so stay tuned for updates.
Please do not call the
schools or the school corporation office. Your call will tie
up phone lines, preventing school officials from making needed
communications about weather conditions. You will receive information
much faster by your radio, TV or the internet than by telephone.
Latch Key programs are
not in session when schools are closed.
Though we do have some
special needs students attending classes in Plainfield and Wayne
Township, when buses cannot operate for local schools, these
students will not be transported also.
Road conditions may
prevent buses from entering or turning around in some areas,
though roads might be generally passable.
EARLY
DISMISSALS
Should
weather or other factors (loss of building power, water problems,
etc.) create a need for the school building to be closed, buses will
be dispatched
as quickly as possible to get students home or to another designated
site if warranted. Since nearly 4,500 students attend MCSC
schools, it would be impossible to provide timely phone calls
to all families in the event of an early school closing. To help
prepare for such a situation, we ask that families do the following:
--Be sure your child’s emergency contact information is
updated to include work phone numbers, a phone number for a trusted
neighbor or nearby relative,
and cell phone or pager numbers. Older children should have this information
memorized in case they need to call.
--Discuss an early dismissal plan with your child. What should your child do
if school is released before you come home? Should he/she get on the bus to
go home or stay at school to wait for you? Let your bus driver and your child's
teacher know the plan as well to avoid confusion.
--Let school personnel know who has permission to pick up your child. If there
are custodial issues and the child should not be picked up by certain people,
school personnel need to be made aware.
--If parents/guardians are away and a child is in the care of a relative or
another adult, notify the school who will be taking care of your child, how
they can be reached, and how long the child will be in the person’s care.
This is necessary for many situations, such as a child becoming sick at school.
--If there is an evacuation to another site, listen carefully to media announcements
(media contacted will be the same as those for a weather-related school closing)
and follow instructions.
If your child’s school does have an emergency situation
and you have made all necessary preparations, you will not
need to call the school. This
will assist the schools by freeing phone lines so calls can be made to transportation
personnel, emergency personnel, and media as needed.
