USD 232 recognizes the challenges involved in deciding whether to open, delay, or close schools during inclement weather. These decisions carry significant implications for students, staff, and families across our district, which spans nearly 100 square miles of Johnson County. Throughout the process, the safety of our students, staff, and parents remains our highest priority.
Because of the district’s size, weather and road conditions can vary considerably from one area to another. While major roadways may be clear, neighborhood, rural, and less-traveled routes can remain hazardous.
Students travel to school in several different ways: some ride school buses, some walk to school or to bus stops, some are driven by parents, some drive themselves, and some ride with other students. When evaluating weather conditions, the district considers the safety and feasibility of each of these transportation methods.
Many staff members and bus drivers begin their day as early as 5:00 a.m., and many working parents need time to arrange childcare when schedules change. For these reasons, the district strives to announce any weather-related delays or closures by 6:00 a.m. Once the Superintendent makes a decision, it takes approximately 15–20 minutes to notify local media, update the website, send text messages, and post to social media.
Ideally, weather events would occur at times that make decisions clear and straightforward. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Snow, sleet, or freezing rain frequently begin between 5:00 and 8:00 a.m., which may lead to opening schools when conditions worsen unexpectedly or closing them when the forecast proves less severe than anticipated. At times, parts of our district may experience safe driving conditions while other areas face dangerous weather.
When making inclement weather decisions, the district considers a variety of factors, including parking lot and sidewalk conditions, temperature and wind chill, snow or ice accumulation, current and projected forecasts, and city and county road conditions.
We understand that no decision will be perfect for every family. Our commitment is to err on the side of caution to ensure everyone’s safety. Ultimately, each parent should feel empowered to make the best choice for their own child. In this case, please contact your school's office and your child's absence will be recorded as an excused absence.
