Emergency Closings & Delay Information
Dear RCS Parents & Guardians,
As we all know, Indiana weather can be very unpredictable. During the past several years, we have seen as increase in inclement weather. If that holds true again this year, you will be hearing from me often and may even wonder a time or two how I make the decision to delay, cancel, or have an eLearning day. It is rarely an easy decision and one that I make with a great deal of thought.
Please read the important information below so you can review during these upcoming months. You can also get the most up-to-date information on Facebook, Instagram, X @werrrichmond, Parent Square, or any of our local media outlets. Decisions are made as early as possible and preferably before 6:00 a.m.
As always, it is very important to make sure our children have warm coats, gloves, hats, and scarves as they walk to and from the bus stop and while they wait for their bus. If you have not accessed the BusBoss ParentPatrol program to get real-time updates on your child’s bus, please take a few minutes to do so before we face weather delays. Inclement weather will most assuredly result in our buses being delayed by drivers navigating wet, snowy, slushy, or icy roadways. If you have sidewalks in your neighborhood, please encourage your neighbors to keep their walks cleared of snow and ice during these winter months. In addition, please remind your children that while they may see vehicles approaching, the drivers may not see them. Being aware of their surroundings is even more important when the weather is poor.
Finally, we would like to have your children in school every day that we are in session. However, we will always respect your decision as a parent when it comes to the safety of your child(ren). Together, we will continue to provide great opportunities for our children and prepare them for their future successes.
Sincerely,
Dr. Curtis L. Wright
Beliefs
- Parents have a child-specific perspective regarding their child and the threat of inclement weather.
- A parent may make a determination for their child and should respect the perspective of another parent regarding their child.
- Richmond Community Schools respects a parent’s determination regarding their child’s attendance at school during inclement weather. If school is open or delayed, because of inclement weather, the school will respect the parent’s decision to keep their child at home. Parents are expected to contact the school and inform school officials of their determination. The student will be counted as absent, per state code, and students will be given an opportunity to complete their academic work in the same manner as an excused absence from school.
- Richmond Community Schools believes the public expects schools to be open and to provide education, supervision, and other services (including meals) to its students.
- Richmond Community Schools believes all parents are committed to keeping children safe and these parents will dress their children appropriately for the weather when sending the children to school.
- Variable weather conditions are to be expected in East Central Indiana. Richmond Community Schools believes parents have plans in place for weather-related delays and closures and believe morning notification is generally appropriate.
Delaying, Closing, and eLearning, are Based on Multiple Variables
Freezing Rain/Sleet
The most unpredictable weather variable is freezing rain/sleet. Freezing rain/sleet is temperature-sensitive and fast-occurring. It begins and ends with little notice. When freezing rain/sleet are predicted, the decision regarding school is delayed until the latest possible time in an effort to observe the most current and local conditions. Such a decision will generally be made in the morning.
Snowfall
Snowfall is more predictable than freezing rain/sleet. Meteorologists generally give a 2-inch variable when predicting snow accumulation. Because of the variation in actual snowfall, when compared to predicted snowfall, the decision regarding school status is delayed until the snow accumulation indicates a need for action. Such a decision, except in extreme situations, will generally be made in the morning.
Extreme Snowfall Situations
When snow has accumulated to a significant level or is at such a level with more snowfall predicted, then the decision regarding school may be made the previous evening. A significant level is one in which local authorities have indicated it is unlikely streets will be passable by the following morning. This is an unlikely, but possible occurrence.
Extreme Cold
Temperature prediction is increasingly accurate. Richmond Community Schools uses the hourly temperature predictions for its zip code from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov). If the air temperature is predicted by NOAA to be -10 degrees or below (the starting point for wind chill concerns with calm wind) at 7:00 a.m. the school will consider a two-hour delay for the start of school. If the air temperature is predicted to remain at -10 degrees or below at 9:00 a.m. the school will consider closing. Such a determination will be made as early as possible, perhaps the evening before, but certainly by 6:00 a.m. in the morning.
Extreme Wind Chill
Wind chill prediction is not as accurate as temperature prediction because wind speed is more variable by time and location. While NOAA observations and predictions are based upon the open conditions at the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office of Wilmington, Ohio, these conditions are often different throughout Wayne County. Local observations of wind speed will affect the decision regarding delaying or closing school. Wind chill concerns emerge at a predicted wind chill temperature of -19 degrees. If the wind chill is predicted by NOAA to be -19 degrees or below and local wind conditions are predicted to mirror the NWS Forecast Office wind conditions at 7:00 a.m., the school will consider a two-hour delay for the start of school. If the wind chill is predicted to remain at -19 degrees or below and local conditions mirror the NWS Forecast Office wind conditions at 9:00 a.m., the school will consider closing. The variability of wind speed will likely cause this decision to be made in the morning.
Functional Facilities
Utility issues (gas, electricity, water) may cause a school to close. Issues associated with cold, including water supply to a building and electricity to a building or neighborhood, may cause school to be cancelled.
The decision to close or delay Richmond Community Schools relies on many factors and is a collaboration between all county schools, and emergency personnel. We take into consideration the current weather, road conditions, as well as the duration of the wind chill factor predictions.
As a general rule from the National Weather Service, a wind chill factor of -19 degrees will be the determining factor as to whether to close or delay school. Frostbite can occur on exposed skin in a relatively short time for children out in extreme temperatures. Parents are encouraged to ensure that students are appropriately dressed for these conditions while waiting at the bus stop or walking to and from school.
The following is a list of the emergency options used by Richmond Community Schools. Please discuss these with your children and plan what to do in each instance.
Asynchronous E-Learning Day
All Richmond Community Schools' Schools will be closed. No Buses will run. Virtual learning made of educational activities, discussions, and assignments that are self-paced and on their own time. Learning objectives/instructions/assignments will be posted in the RCS Learning Management System – Canvas,
by 9:00 am on these eLearning days.
Link to Canvas: https://richmond.instructure.com/login/ldap
Per administration there will be no paper packets given to students.
Synchronous E-Learning Day
Link to Canvas: https://richmond.instructure.com/login/ldap
Per administration there will be no paper packets given to students.
2 Hour Delay
- Richmond Community Schools, including Child Care programs, will have a 2-hour delay in starting school.
- Buses will run 2 hours later than usual. Pick-up points and announced dismissal times will remain the same.
- A free breakfast snack will be offered.
- No morning preschool for Charles, Crestdale, Fairview or Westview.
Early Dismissal
Richmond Community Schools, including Child Care programs, will dismiss students early. Listen for notification on local media.
Announcing Closings and Delays
Richmond Community Schools uses several methods for communicating and announcing delays and closings. The following describes these methods:
- Web site. Visit the Home page of the RCS Web site at http://www.WeRRichmond.com for the latest announcements.
- Social Media. Subscribe to our Facebook Fan Page and Twitter handle to receive late-breaking information.
- Automated Phone Calls and Text Messages. We will send out an automated telephone announcement and text message via ParentSquare to all parents and staff for all school closings and delays.
- Local newspaper. The Palladium-Item newspaper's website lists local school districts' closings and delays.
- Local media. We call a number of local radio and television stations to announce our closings and delays. See the following section for the list of stations we call.
Important Note For Tuesdays
The Indiana Department of Education has regulations on the approved minutes for daily attendance. School corporations have been directed in a recent communication not to have an early dismissal at the end of the day on the same day there is a two-hour delay in the morning.
Richmond Community Schools has kept a strict routine for Tuesday early releases, but we will need to adjust on days we delay, in order to meet these guidelines.
If Richmond Community Schools has a two-hour delay on Tuesdays, students will be released at the regular time.
Local Media Announcements
Whenever possible school closings and delays will be sent to these stations before 6:30 am.
Family Planning
In the event of a closing or delay, please heed the following planning suggestions:
- Make plans for alternative child care.
- Listen to the weather forecast the night before.
- Allow extra time in the morning to listen to the radio or television station of your choice in the list above.
- If your children ride the school bus, have them dressed and ready to go. The bus may be running behind schedule because of poor road conditions.
- If you wish to drive, watch for school buses. Remember to allow extra distance for stopping, reduce your speed, and be prepared for buses to stop to pick up or let students out.
- If early dismissal from school is necessary, the announcement will be made on the radio and television stations listed above.