The South Park School District is providing this update to families and staff outlining our delay and closure procedures in the event of hazardous driving conditions or extreme cold. The determination of whether to delay school or close buildings will be made as early as possible. Early dismissals will be called only in the most extreme emergencies.
When school is delayed or buildings are closed, the district will make an automated phone call and send an email notification through SchoolMessenger. Please understand that it can take at least a half hour before all automated phone calls are made. The success of the SchoolMessenger system in contacting families depends on accurate contact information in the district’s database. If your contact information has recently changed or you would like to change your primary phone number, please call your child’s school office. If you have not received any phone calls or emails from the district so far this school year, it is a good idea to contact your child’s school office as soon as possible so we can look into that issue.
In addition to the automated phone call and email, we will communicate delay and closure messages on our website, our Facebook page, our Instagram page and our X (formerly Twitter) page. Delay and closure information will also be available on KDKA, WPXI and WTAE. Please note, the district has no control over the speed at which the television news stations post or air delay/closing messages once the district submits them.
TWO-HOUR DELAYS
When the district announces a two-hour delay, all building drop-off times will be adjusted by exactly two hours, and buses will arrive at stops approximately two hours later than usual. Afternoon dismissals will begin at the normal times.
|
Drop-Off Times |
Classes Begin |
High School |
9:05 - 9:20 a.m. |
9:23 a.m. |
Middle School |
9:50 - 10 a.m. |
10:05 a.m. |
Elementary Center |
10:50 - 11 a.m. |
11 a.m. |
On two-hour delay days, high school students who attend Steel Center will depart the high school at 11:40 a.m. for Steel Center.
BUILDING CLOSURE
Should weather conditions necessitate a building closure, there are two possible options. The district’s announcement will outline whether:
CLOSURE OPTION 1: The district will transition to remote learning for all students on a two-hour delay schedule
-or-
CLOSURE OPTION 2: The district will cancel all classes with no remote instruction.
CLOSURE OPTION 1: REMOTE LEARNING ON TWO-HOUR DELAY SCHEDULE
In most instances when district buildings are closed due to inclement weather or another emergency situation, the district will utilize remote learning on a two-hour delay schedule. On a remote learning day, students will not report to school but will participate in synchronous (students and teachers are online at the same time, engaged in instruction and learning) or asynchronous (students complete assignments independently) learning. Teachers will communicate specific remote instruction procedures with their students/families via Canvas and/or email. These instructions will include whether that teacher’s class that day will be synchronous or asynchronous.
On remote learning days due to inclement weather or another emergency situation, remote learning will take place on the school’s two-hour delay schedule. This will allow our teachers and students to better prepare for the school day.
The two-hour delay schedule for each building is:
SPHS Two-Hour Delay Remote Learning Schedule
Period 1 |
9:23 - 9:56 a.m. |
Period 2 |
9:59 - 10:29 a.m. |
Period 5 |
10:32 - 11:02 a.m. |
Period 6/7 |
11:05 - 11:35 a.m. |
Period 8/9 |
11:38 a.m. - 12:08 p.m. |
Period 10 |
12:11 - 12:41 p.m. |
Period 3 |
12:44 - 1:14 p.m. |
Period 4 |
1:17 - 1:47 p.m. |
Period 11 |
1:50 - 2:20 p.m. |
SPMS Two-Hour Delay Virtual Learning Schedule
Virtual Attendance Window |
9:30 -10:00 a.m. |
Class 1 |
10:18 - 10:44 a.m. |
Class 2 |
10:47 - 11:17 a.m. |
Class 3 |
11:20 - 11:50 a.m. |
Class 4 |
11:53 a.m. - 12:23 p.m. |
Class 5 |
12:26 - 12:56 p.m. |
Class 6 |
12:59 -1:25 p.m. |
Class 7 |
1:28 - 1:56 p.m. |
Class 8 |
1:59 - 2:25 p.m. |
Class 9 |
2:28 - 2:54 p.m. |
SPMS Two-Hour Delay In-Person Schedule
HR/Arrival/Breakfast |
9:50 -10:15 a.m. |
Class 1 |
10:18 - 10:44 a.m. |
Class 2 |
10:47 - 11:13 a.m. |
Class 4 / 5th Grade lunch |
11:17 - 11:47 a.m. |
Class 5 / 6th Grade lunch |
11:51 a.m. - 12:21 p.m. |
Class 6 / 7th Grade lunch |
12:25 - 12:55 p.m. |
Class 7 / 8th Grade lunch |
12:59 -1:29 p.m. |
Class 8 |
1:32 - 1:58 p.m. |
Class 9 |
2:01 - 2:27 p.m. |
Class 3 |
2:30 - 2:56 p.m. |
SPEC Two-Hour Delay Remote Learning Schedule
ELA |
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
Lunch |
12:30 - 1 p.m. |
Social Studies |
1 - 1:30 p.m. |
Math/Science |
1:30 - 3 p.m. |
Specials |
3 - 3:30 p.m. |
Again, any live instruction, assignments, announcements or other instructional materials will be available via Canvas. Our teachers have worked with students since the beginning of the year to review what remote learning days will look like in their classes. Students should be familiar with where they will find links to live instruction, assignments and activities on Canvas.
Teachers will be available to answer questions via email and Canvas during the school day on all remote learning days.
Students will also be required to complete a virtual attendance form on a remote learning day. Links to all homeroom teachers’ forms can be found by clicking here. On remote learning days due to inclement weather, high school students must complete the form no earlier than 9 a.m. and no later than 9:30 a.m. Middle school students must complete the form no earlier than 9:30 a.m. and no later than 10 a.m. Elementary center students must complete the form no earlier than 10:30 a.m. and no later than 11 a.m. (Please note these reporting times are adjusted to adhere to a two-hour delay schedule).
If inclement weather conditions result in power outages or other conditions which limit or prohibit a student from participating in remote learning, the student or the student’s parent/guardian should notify the teacher(s) as soon as possible about the inability to access remote learning. The student will have the number of school days of remote learning to complete any remote learning day assignments. (For instance, if one remote learning day is called on a Tuesday, students will have one school day to complete the assignments. Therefore, the work would be due on Thursday.)
All questions about remote learning can be directed to your child’s building principal.
CLOSURE OPTION 2: DISTRICT CLOSED WITH NO REMOTE LEARNING
In the event remote learning is not feasible due to widespread power outages or other hazardous conditions, the district will close with no remote learning scheduled. The closure message will state that no remote learning will take place on that day. A make-up day will be scheduled on one of the remaining built-in days on the district’s 2023-2024 school year calendar.
TRANSPORTATION
Winter weather may cause our buses to run behind schedule, so we ask for your patience and understanding in advance. When the district is notified that a bus is running at least 10-15 minutes late, families will be notified via email. In the event the district is closed due to hazardous driving conditions or extreme cold, transportation will not be provided to any private, parochial, charter, or special education schools.
If you have a question about delay or closure procedures, please contact your child’s teacher or principal.