• JC Schools Winter Weather Procedures

    Many considerations come into play when the district makes changes to the regular school schedule or implements bus snow routes due to inclement weather. Because the safety and well-being of our students and employees is our top priority, we will consider canceling school, delaying school start time, dismissing school early, and/or we will utilize snow routes if conditions are determined to be too risky after roads have been tested and weather forecasts are analyzed. School bus snow route information can be found here.
     
    We are sensitive to the demands associated with making a change to the school day and the challenges it places on families. With that in mind, we try our best to make decisions as early as possible and appreciate your cooperation in prioritizing the safety of our staff and students.

    The district covers a large area across much of Cole and Callaway counties, and conditions may vary across the footprint of our district depending on where inclement weather hits, the types of roads in different neighborhoods, etc. Thank you for recognizing that every family’s situation is different, and that our decisions have to factor in all of these variables.

     
    Stay Informed
     
    We are sensitive to the demands associated with making a change to the school day and the challenges it places upon families. With this in mind, we will try our best to make decisions as early as possible and we appreciate your cooperation in the safety and well-being of our students and staff. 

    2-Hour Late Start 
     
    The option of a 2-Hour Late Start amidst inclement weather was added in the 2015-16 school year. Here's the updated Frequently Asked Questions about that procedure. 
     
    See below for information regarding what time your child's school will start if a late start is called:
     
    Normal Start Time 2-Hour Late Start Time 2-Hour Late Start Doors Open Schools
     7:45am  9:45am 9:15am Elementary Schools(K-5)
     8:00am  10:00am   SWECC
     8:40am  10:40am 10:10am High Schools (grades 9-12)
     8:50am  10:50am 10:20am Middle Schools (grades 6-8)
     

    Decision Making Process

    • When inclement weather is in the forecast, administrators will begin tracking the storm via local weather reports.
    • Administrators will maintain close contact with county and city road crews.
    • If the storm is coming in the early morning hours, our Director of Transportation and his colleagues at First Student Transportation (our contracted bus company) will begin driving key roads. Typically these roads will be on the west and southwest end of the county/city, as well as several areas in Callaway County. It is not unusual for our people to be out on those roads at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning.
    • Depending on what time of day the storm looks to hit our area, administrators will consult with other school districts in the line of the storm to gauge the intensity of the storm and to get their opinions on how to best deal with the situation.
    • Ultimately, the Director of Transportation will contact the Superintendent and make his recommendation. The Superintendent will then make his decision.
    • When that decision is made, the JC Schools Communications Department will begin notifying stakeholders via the channels noted above.