Emergency School Closing Information
The decision to close school or to change start or dismissal times because of inclement weather or other unanticipated emergencies will be based upon available information from local law enforcement agencies, weather forecast services, and neighboring school district administrators. If school will be closed, every effort will be made to finalize the school closing decision by 5 a.m. of that school day. Roadway conditions and the possibility of dangerously unsafe temperatures are the main factors that drive the decision.
Please note that in the case of an emergency closing due to weather conditions, the district will utilize a traditional "snow day" that will be made up at the end of the year. No e-Learning.
If one or more of our schools close, or the schedule changes, the district will communicate with parents/guardians and staff as soon as possible in the following ways:
Website:
School closing and schedule change information will be posted on our district website at www.nssd112.org, and on each school’s home page.
Phone and Text:
- Parents, log into your Infinite Campus account to ensure that your contact information is correct so that you receive any notifications of weather-related schedule changes.
-
The District sends text and phone notifications through ParentSquare, our mass notification system.
-
Email:
All parents who have shared their email contact information will be also be contacted via an email alert.
Other Sources:
You can keep up with all the weather news at the Emergency Closing Center and by liking District 112 on Facebook, or following @NSSD112 on Twitter.
Heat Guidelines
How does the district decide to institute an interrupted or emergency closing day due to heat?
The district refers to the NOAA HEAT INDEX CHART which provides information about the likelihood of heat disorders due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity. If the forecasts call for the outdoor heat index to be at the “danger” level or higher, this triggers a decision to either shorten the school day, or close school. When the outdoor heat index is at this level, our indoor classrooms generally have even higher heat indexes, at what the National Weather Service has determined is the danger level. The Illinois School Code allows for the use of interrupted school days or emergency closing days for adverse weather conditions.
How does the district ensure the comfort and safety of children when school is in session on hot and humid days?
With the exception of Edgewood Middle School, Northwood Middle School, Oak Terrace Elementary School and Ravinia Elementary School (at Green Bay), buildings in North Shore School District 112 are not fully air-conditioned. During periods of extreme temperatures and humidity, district staff members take precautions to ensure that children are adequately hydrated and stay as comfortable as possible. Below are guidelines that district staff follow during warm-weather conditions:
- Ensure that drinking water is readily available and that students are well hydrated
- Remind students and staff to wear lightweight, loose-fitting cotton clothing
- Prevent students from over-exerting themselves
- Keep children indoors or in shady outside areas during the hottest parts of the day
- Take all necessary steps to ensure keeping classroom temperatures comfortable
- Keep windows and doors open, and have at least one fan running
- Monitor temperature and humidity levels throughout the day in rooms expected to have high temperatures, and calculate the effective temperature (ET).
- Move students to cooler areas of the building in rooms where ET exceeds 85 and there are more than 2 hours remaining in the school day.
Other Questions
Does the district take into consideration the difficulties that working parents face in arranging childcare when the school day is interrupted or school is closed?
The district’s first priority is to ensure the health and safety of students and to provide a classroom environment that is effective and conducive to learning. When the indoor temperatures rise beyond a certain level, it can cause adverse health consequences, and the learning environment is disrupted. During periods of extreme heat, the district monitors classroom temperatures and rotates children to cooler areas of the building.
During the very warmest periods of the day, it becomes more difficult to maintain optimal learning conditions for all students and to ensure that children aren’t exposed for a prolonged period to potentially dangerous heat conditions. The district is aware that it is difficult for families when changes are made to the school day on short notice. However, the health and safety of the children must come first.
How would interrupted days and emergency closing days impact the school calendar?
Any unscheduled early release days will NOT affect the school calendar. These count as full school days, and the state does not require that they be made up. All emergency closing days must be made up, and the school calendar will be modified accordingly and submitted to the state for approval.
Late Arrival Schedule (If Needed)
The following arrival times and bus procedures should be followed if District 112 officials implement a late start.
Grades K to 8: Bus routes will pick up two hours after regularly scheduled pickups (unless otherwise notified).
Start Times:
Edgewood, Northwood: 10 a.m.
Braeside, Indian Trail, Oak Terrace, Ravinia, Wayne Thomas: 10:40 a.m.
Sherwood: 10:36 a.m.
Red Oak: 10:44 a.m.
Early Childhood Classes at Oak Terrace School:
Morning Session: No attendance
Afternoon Session: Regular schedule: 12:47- 3:17 p.m.
Instructional Learning Program (ILP): 10:40 a.m.-1:43 p.m. Parents/guardians are responsible for providing transportation to school at 10:40 a.m. Regular transportation will be provided home at 1:43.
Speech Services: All itinerant speech services scheduled to start prior to 10:40 a.m will be cancelled.
NOAA Wind Chill Chart
