Dear Parents,
During this winter season, the Laurel County Schools are committed to providing for your child’s safety, well-being, and education. Please read the information below regarding procedures for inclement weather in Laurel County.
How Can I Be Prepared?
Unpredictable winter weather may necessitate Laurel County Schools to alter daily schedules or routines within the district. To be prepared, please make sure your child’s school has up-to-date phone numbers and emergency contacts for your family. Also, have childcare arrangements already in place should the need arise to close school early or cancel school.
How Will the Decision to Cancel School Be Made?
Laurel County Schools has a great team working tirelessly during potential weather threats to make decisions on closing school, always keeping the safety of our students as the top priority. As early as possible, if snow, freezing rain, sleet, or other dangerous precipitation is present, our team sets out to inspect the road conditions. They drive designated routes, checking the roadways that are typically the most high-risk when covered with some type of precipitation. The team considers safe travel not only on streets but sidewalks, parking lots, and bus turnarounds. Other conditions considered include the outside temperature, road temperature, wind chill factor, and the amount of precipitation that has fallen or predicted to fall. Once enough information is gathered and shared with the Superintendent, the team focuses on one question: Is it safe to transport students in a school bus in current or predicted conditions?
Whenever bus travel is affected by winter weather, the district has three (3) choices:
● Cancel School
● Early Dismissal
● Non-Traditional Instruction
If a decision cannot be made the night before, the Laurel County School District Team will make a decision by 6:00 AM.
How Will School Cancellations Be Communicated?
Once a decision is made, the notification process begins. We strive to get the word out quickly through our phone notification system via Infinite Campus, news media outlets, the Laurel County Schools webpage, App, and our Facebook page.
Website: www.laurel.kyschools.us
App: Download the free “Laurel County Schools KY” app on the iOS App Store or Android Play Store and enable Notifications
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OFFICALLCSS311?mibextid=LQQJ4d
If school is canceled, it may be referred to as a Snow Day, No School, or Closed.
If school is canceled, it may also be called an NTI Day (Non-Traditional Instruction Day).
What Are the Procedures for a Snow Day When There is No School or School is Closed in Laurel County?
● Laurel County Schools will NOT BE OPEN for regular business if school is canceled.
● Bus transportation will not be provided; after-school extracurricular activities are also canceled unless an announcement is made.
● Traditional ‘snow days’ do not count as instructional days and must be made up at the end of the school calendar.
What Does Instruction Look Like During an NTI (Non-Traditional Instruction) Day?
The Laurel County School District plans to operate NTI instruction on a digital platform.
NTI days are counted as regular school days and are not made up on the school calendar.
● Schools will NOT BE OPEN for regular business, BUT students will utilize Remote Learning. Students will engage in Remote Learning via a combination of remote communication with teachers and independent learning activities previously assigned or assigned that day through Google Classroom or some other digital learning platform. Teachers will be available to answer questions or address concerns during regular instruction hours, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, via email, school phone, or Google Classroom.
● Students with limited technology access may be provided a device for use at home or access to instructional materials via printed assignments. In addition, students who do not have internet access will have access to WIFI Hotspots from the exterior of the schools in the parking lot for district owned student devices (i.e., Chromebooks).
● Student attendance will be counted by completing class assignments online or on paper.
● For further information or questions regarding NTI instruction, please contact your child’s school.
What Are the Procedures If School is Dismissed Early?
● The decision will be made as early as possible to allow families time to make arrangements for pick-up, if applicable, and/or child care.
● School buses will run regular afternoon routes to deliver students home safely.
● After-school and evening activities are canceled unless an announcement is made otherwise.
● Decisions about making up the time missed will be made on a case-by-case basis in accordance with state guidelines.
The Laurel County Schools will always make decisions to ensure the safety of our students and staff to the best of our ability.
Sincerely,
Denise M. Griebel
Superintendent
Laurel County Public Schools