• school closing

     

    To ensure the safety of our students and staff FCS has a comprehensive plan that is executed when there is consideration of a school closing or delay due to inclement weather.

    WHO IS WATCHING THE WEATHER?

    The superintendent and administrative staff carefully monitor weather conditions during seasons of inclement weather. 
     
    WHERE DO THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION?
    The school district staff listens to weather forecasts. The director of transportation monitors and tests road conditions on bus routes and our maintenance departments checks school power conditions. Local and state law enforcement agencies and neighboring school systems are consulted about road conditions. Careful consideration is given to the most dangerous bus routes in the district.  
     

    WHAT FACTORS ARE CONSIDERED WHEN MAKING THE DECISION TO CLOSE SCHOOL?
    The safety of all Forsyth County children is the primary concern.  Even if it looks clear on your street, dangerous conditions may exist in some other part of the district.  In deciding whether the children will be safe, the following factors are considered:

    • Information on road conditions from the director of transportation and law enforcement agencies, including whether roads are iced or icing; 
    • Time snow or ice starts and the amount;
    • Weather predictions;
    • Building conditions (e.g., whether we have power and heat); 
    • Parking lot and sidewalk conditions; and 
    • Temperature and wind-chill factor. 
     
    WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
    The superintendent of schools is responsible for making the final decision, based on the above factors and recommendations from the district staff.
     
    WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE?
    The superintendent tries to make the decision by 5:30 a.m. so that the broadcast media can be notified.
     
    HOW IS THE PUBLIC NOTIFIED?
    Closings are announced on the school district and school websites and social media accounts, the voice recording at 770.887.2461, and on local and metro broadcast media outlets. A ParentPortal email and inbox message are sent and depending on the time of closing, an automated voice message is sent. You should verify the information by checking two sources, especially when relying on social media for information. Fake social media accounts with school and/or the district names and logos violate copyright laws but unfortunately are common. FCS' official social media accounts have been in existence since 2009 and therefore have a long list of tweets and followers, while fake accounts have significantly fewer tweets and followers.
     
    IF THERE IS NO CLOSING MESSAGE ON FCS' WEBSITE, MAIN PHONE GREETING OR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, THEN SCHOOL IS OPEN.
     
    WHAT IF SCHOOL CLOSES DURING THE DAY?
    If school closes during the school day all students will be sent home in the usual manner (bus, day-care van, etc.) unless other directions are on file with the teacher. It is impossible for the school staff to accept phoned directions during emergency closures. Parents/guardians should plan in advance for early school closings. Make sure that the child knows where to go, how to get there, and what to do upon arrival. The public will be notified by the same methods listed above.
     
    WHAT IF SCHOOL OPENING IS DELAYED?
    If school opening is delayed, please follow the same routine/schedule as normal, but push back the start time by two hours.
     
    ARE THERE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR?
    No, FCS recovers lost instructional time due to school closings by using itslearning, the district’s learning management system. For more information see your school's website or view online learning days. FCS staff should be familiar with the Online School Closure Staff Expectations.
     
    FEEDBACK ON SCHOOL CLOSING OR DELAY DECISIONS
    FCS understands that school closings or delays affect families in a variety of ways. Feedback on decisions should be submitted through the “contact us” form.  FCS is unable to respond to individual phone calls, emails, or social media posts during inclement weather events.