JTASD's Inclement Weather Plan
"To Close or Not to Close...That is the Question"
Without a doubt, any Superintendent will tell you that one of his/her most difficult decisions is whether to close, delay, or open school on days of inclement weather. A Superintendent must make this judgement call starting at 4:00 AM, using available information from other Superintendents, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Township Officials, and the State Police, as to whether students and staff can arrive safely at school. The final decision must then be made no later than 5:00 AM, so we can apprise all district employees, as well as parents and students, before the buses and other school personnel begin to hit the roads. The decision to close and/or delay will then be announced via our district emergency announcement system, local television and radio stations, and the district's websites as soon as possible.
We realize that our decision is subject to second guessing, but please realize that our decision is made at 5:00AM, with the information we have, and we cannot possibly check every road or development in the 137 plus square miles of our district. If there is any doubt as to whether or not students and staff can safely reach the buildings, we will err on the side of caution.
Hopefully, this provides you with relevant information and allows you to better understand the process. Please click on the link below to see JTASD's plan for how we will deal with closures and delays, so you can better plan for them.
The types of closures are listed below for your information as well. If you have any questions regarding the plan or how instruction will be provided, please feel free to reach out to your school's principals.
Types of Closings and Delays
Two-Hour Delay | This option will be selected when the weather causes road conditions, bus stops, and school sidewalks and parking lots to be unsafe, but with an expectation that conditions will clear quickly. School will start two hours later than scheduled. All bus stop pick-up times will be two hours later than normally scheduled. This counts as a full school day. |
Three-Hour Delay | This option will be selected when the weather causes road conditions, bus stops, and school sidewalks and parking lots to be unsafe, but with an expectation that conditions will clear by mid-morning. School will start three hours later than scheduled. All bus stop pick-up times will be three hours later than normally scheduled. This counts as a full school day. |
Virtual Instruction Day | If this type of day is called, there will be remote instruction done synchronously (live) according to a condensed school schedule. Students and parents should check their designated online educational platforms for directions, class schedules, and lessons. Assignments will be due by midnight of the day or upon return to school. There will be no school buildings open, but teachers will have scheduled "office hours" for students to check in if help is needed with assignments. Administration will be working remotely and available via email. This will count as a full school day. |
Flexible Instruction Day | If this type of day is called, teachers will send material to their students through the designated educational platforms for asynchronous (not live) instruction. Students and parents should check their designated online educational platforms for directions, schedules, and lessons. Assigned work will be due by midnight of that day or upon return to school. There will be no school buildings open, but teachers will have scheduled "office hours" for students to check in if help is needed with assignments. Administration will be working remotely and available via email. This will count as a full school day. |
Traditional Snow Day | This option will be selected when the weather causes road conditions, bus stops, and school sidewalks and parking lots to be unsafe, no expectation that conditions will clear quickly. There will be no school buildings open and no remote instruction. This will not count as a full school day. |
Early Dismissal | This option will be selected when the weather causes road conditions, bus stops, and school sidewalks and parking lots to be unsafe while school is already in session. Students will be sent home either two to three hours early depending on the weather conditions. This will count as a full school day. |