This time of year, we begin to see our weather grow colder with more chances of snow. With the potential of winter weather, I want to remind you of our inclement weather procedures so you know exactly where and how to find information regarding school closures and other safety information. When inclement weather or emergency situations pose a safety and security risk to our students and staff, classes may be canceled. In the event school is closed, an announcement will be made as soon as the decision is reached.

During the 2022-2023 school year, Fox C-6 will continue the practice of having traditional snow days. Any day school is closed due to inclement weather, will be a snow day. We will not have virtual learning days if there is inclement weather. My hope is that on days when the road or weather conditions make it unsafe for us to have school, our staff members and families will use that time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the winter weather with loved ones. Our District calendar has enough minutes built into it that we are not required to make up days missed due to inclement weather. 

The decision to close school is never made lightly. There are a number of factors that contribute to deciding whether or not to close school, but I can assure you that any decision will be made in the best interests of the safety of our students and staff. We will strive to make decisions as quickly as possible so that we can fully communicate with our stakeholders as well as give parents ample opportunity to prepare.

Here are some other important things to consider regarding early dismissals due to inclement weather:

• We will try to always give at least one hour notification before school is dismissed early.

• During an early dismissal, the standard procedure is to dismiss high schools and Fox Middle School first, allowing student drivers to leave before school buses depart. Then, the early starting elementary schools (Rockport, Simpson, Sherwood, Fox) as well as Antonia Middle, Ridgewood Middle, and Seckman Middle Schools will be dismissed. The late starting elementary schools will be the final dismissals. Please be aware that travel time will vary due to road conditions.

• All necessary information will be provided via School Messenger, the district’s mass notification system, the Fox C-6 mobile app,  and the district websites as well as Facebook and Twitter. Telephone lines may be needed for emergency communication and we appreciate your help in keeping them clear.

• Depending on traffic conditions, consider that you may need to know alternate routes between your home and school during these situations.

• Please remind your children of the importance of following staff instructions during inclement weather or an emergency situation. Everything is in place to ensure the safety of our students.

• When school is canceled, dismissed early, or afternoon/evening activities are canceled, Character Kids Club (CKC) and Building Blocks Preschool will also be canceled.

In the event that classes are canceled, we will notify parents using our notification system, SchoolMessenger. In order to receive timely updates from this system, please be sure to provide updated email addresses and phone numbers. You can confirm your information by logging into the Parent Portal from the main page of our website or by speaking with your building’s secretary.

In addition to notifications from the school, we will post school closure details on our social media accounts and with local news organizations. Please make sure you have quick access to our Facebook Page, Twitter account, and District website so you can check on the status of school cancellations or early dismissals. Finally, every family should develop a plan in the event a snow day occurs, or in the event school is dismissed early, that provides details for picking up their children from school during inclement weather or other emergency situations. It is also imperative that you keep an updated list of authorized adults who can pick your child up from school. A student will not be allowed to leave school with anyone not identified as a guardian and/or emergency contact. We have also updated our website with information and resources that may be helpful to you during cold weather. Please visit the Safety and Security portion of our website for resources and information, including where to go for energy assistance during the winter months.