During bad weather, the Transportation Department will provide the required transportation. However, services may have to be modified to insure students safety and welfare. Traffic conditions may require students to spend additional time enroute to special activities or programs.

The decision to close school or delay school times rests with the Superintendent after close coordination with the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services. This decision is not made easily and is normally based on a collection of information between midnight and 5:00 A.M. such as road conditions, conditions of schools, etc. Whenever possible, this decision will be made by 5:00 A.M. and announced. In some cases a delayed schedule will be announced the night before based on snow conditions and the forecasted wind-chill factor.

SCHOOL CLOSURE OR A DELAYED SCHEDULE will be posted on the front page of the DPS website and announced on KOA 850 radio (English), KMXA 1090 AM, KJMN 92.1 FM and KJME AM radio(Spanish), and local television stations beginning at 5:00 A.M. The media will be updated at 12:00 noon, so tune in for additional schedule changes or call your school.

During bad weather, supervisory personnel inspect the streets and determine which, if any, of the following steps are to be implemented:

Delayed Schedule (Storm Schedule)

1. MORNING SCHEDULES
Senior High and Middle School ( 1st tier) buses should arrive at bus stops as scheduled but may be delayed getting to school.

Elementary School buses (2nd tier) will arrive at bus stops approximately 30 minutes later than usual (example: bus normally arrives at 8:06 a.m.; bus will now arrive at 8:36 a.m.).

In most instances, the buses that transport elementary students are the same buses that transport senior high and middle school students. When these students are delivered to school it is at peak traffic times and with bad weather, buses run late to their elementary pick up locations. Our younger students are encouraged to remain indoors while waiting for their bus.

2. MIDDAY SCHEDULES
Depending on weather conditions, morning kindergarten/early childhood buses will depart elementary schools at the regular time and should arrive at their stops as normally scheduled.

Afternoon kindergarten/early childhood classes may be canceled. Please listen to the 12:00 p.m. media update. If there is school, Kindergarten/ECE students will be picked up at the normal time and transported to school as scheduled.

3. AFTERNOON SCHEDULES
Depending on the severity of conditions, educational excursions, Balarat, athletic events and scheduled activity trips may be modified or canceled.

Depending on the severity of conditions, middle and high schools may have to dismiss bus riders at 2:00 P.M. Career Education Center second session and Teen Parent may be dismissed at 12:45 P.M. Call your school or listen for a noon media update.

If conditions permit, secondary education school buses will pick up students at schools on time, but buses may arrive at discharge points later than normal drop off times due to road conditions.

Elementary schools will be dismissed at the regularly scheduled time (3:30 p.m.)

Elementary school buses may arrive at schools to pick up students about 15 to 20 minutes late; and arrivals at discharge points may be approximately 45 minutes later than usual due to traffic and road conditions.

Although inclement weather may cause some difficulties, we ask that you be patient. Safety is paramount, but we expect that students will generally be able to travel on schedule. Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding.

If you have any questions, please contact the Transportation Dispatch office at 764-3532/3559 or the Transportation Hotline Number 825-2611