As we move into the winter months, we want to communicate our plan for inclement weather days, as well as the process involved in making the decision to close or delay school. We understand that a decision on whether or not to close schools during inclement weather has a big impact on our families. As always, when we make that decision, our number one priority is the safety of students and staff.
When faced with inclement weather, we have four options to consider:
- a normal school day
- a two-hour delay
- a Remote Snow Day (If Christian Academy has a Remote Snow Day, all assignments will be loaded onto your child’s Canvas (6th-12th) or Google Classroom (K-5th) by 9 a.m. There will not be live or Zoom classes on Remote Snow Days.)
- a canceled school day that may be made up later in the school year
Our goal is to make all decisions no later than 6 a.m. so that parents can make childcare plans. Keep in mind, it’s not always easy to make that call early. Occasionally, we have to make a decision based on a forecast and since meteorology is not an exact science, sometimes that forecast doesn’t pan out. Please remember we are doing all we can to do what’s best for students and staff.
There are several steps we take when deciding on closing or delaying school start times. Planning begins as soon as there is a forecast for inclement weather. We have a team that closely monitors the weather throughout the night. We check the radar, consult with local meteorologists, and if necessary, drive the roads to check conditions. We also take into consideration our facilities’ parking lots and sidewalks.
Christian Academy students reside in 11 different counties and there are 30 miles between each of our three campuses which can result in a dramatic difference in road conditions. We make two independent decisions: Christian Academy of Indiana and Christian Academy of Louisville – English Station/Southwest.
Once a decision has been made, the next step is to communicate that decision. Notifications are sent through CAlert; this is our main and first communication! Please make sure that your information and contact numbers and email addresses are up to date in FACTS Family Portal. (Please Note: We only send alerts if there is a delay, closing or for a Remote Snow Day.)
Other items of interest for parents concerning snow days:
- Occasionally, Junior Academy, After-school Care and/or extracurricular events may be canceled or called for early pick-up if weather occurs during the day. All notifications will be communicated through CAlert and athletic communications.
- Extracurricular activities will be reviewed on an individual basis by the school principal in conjunction with system administration. There have been many instances where roads were too treacherous for school to begin but were clear by the afternoon.