With winter weather right around the corner, we want to ensure all families are prepared for potential inclement weather. Safety is our top priority, and we’ve developed procedures to make weather-related decisions quickly and communicate them efficiently. This message outlines how we’ll handle severe weather conditions, delays, early dismissals, and school closures, so you and your family can plan accordingly.
Click here for Inclement Weather Procedures page.
Unless circumstances create health or safety issues, Lansing School District schools will be open on all regularly scheduled school days. However, weather conditions can vary significantly in different neighborhoods and streets. We encourage parents to make attendance decisions for their children based on their specific ability to get to school safely.
If you are concerned about your child's ability to travel to school safely, please exercise your parental discretion to make the best decision for your child. If your contact information has recently changed, please contact your child's school with current information or update your information in Skyward. If you are not notified by the designated channels listed below, you can safely assume your school is open.
Here are some general philosophies regarding school closure decisions:
We will use weather forecasts, radar, personal reconnaissance, and consensus of surrounding districts in the decision-making process.
Safety is our top priority so, when in doubt, we try to err on the side of caution.
We will make the decision on which Inclement Weather Plan we will follow as soon as possible to give families a better chance to plan. We will not comment about the likelihood of cancelling school in advance of the decision.
After the decision, we will sometimes send a follow-up email explaining the factors involved. We will not typically send notices that school will be open as scheduled.
METHODS OF NOTIFICATION
Lansing USD 469 Mobile App: Click here for more information about our mobile app!
Social Media: We will share cancellations through our district Facebook accounts (@usd469).
Email: We will send an email to all parents and employees.
Media: We will air our closing announcements on KMBC TV 9, KCTV 5, WDAF TV 4, KSHB TV 41, KMBZ AM 980, KFKF FM 94.1, KCUR FM 89.3.
EXTREME TEMPERATURES
Cold weather can prevent our diesel buses from operating properly and endanger students.
In preparation for cold weather cancellations, the National Weather Service (NWS) has a very helpful wind chill and frostbite graph, which you can see here: https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-chart.
Special consideration will be given to a predicted wind chill of -15 degrees Fahrenheit at 7:00 am. Please note that this temperature serves as a guideline, and if the temperatures are predicted to rise rapidly as the morning progresses, we may choose to keep the school open. For your convenience, the decision will be made the night before using the 7:00 am. NWS forecast located at this site: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.2482&lon=-94.8875&unit=0&lg=english&FcstType=graphical
When we are experiencing excessive heat, please note the following:
Water Bottles: All students should carry a water bottle to and from school. Please make sure water bottles are full when students leave home in the morning. Students will be encouraged to fill their bottles throughout the day and before dismissal.
Transportation: Buses are not air-conditioned, so parents may consider picking up their children after school. Please communicate any transportation changes with your child's school building.
Elementary and Intermediate outdoor recess and activities: If the heat index is 91-99, there will be a shortened recess (or inside). If the temperature climbs to 100+, students will have indoor recess.
Sports practices are adjusted in accordance with KSHSAA recommendations.
CONTINGENCY PLANS
The decision to cancel school must be made by 6:00 a.m. Conditions may worsen between then and the start of school. If so, we cannot reverse the decision without endangering students because buses and many parents will have already departed. Therefore, if conditions worsen after 6:00 a.m., you will need to use your best judgment as to whether or not to send students to school.
Parents always have the option to excuse an absence due to inclement weather or local road conditions.