Citizen, Scholar, Steward
Snow day decisions and academic at-home work policy
It’s been quite a two-week stretch for wintry weather in Louisville! In light of our time away from the school the past few weeks because of bad weather, I thought it might be helpful for me to explain how I decide whether or not to use a delayed schedule or to cancel school.
My goal is always to have school open, but of course that’s not always possible. Determining if roads are safe (especially for our student drivers) is my primary concern when making this decision. Of course, road conditions may vary from neighborhood to neighborhood; please let your division assistant know if road conditions in your area prevent you from attending if we do have school.
The timing of bad weather significantly impacts the decision, so I consult a number of sources for weather reports and forecasts. Whenever possible, I get out early and do some driving to get a firsthand view of what the roads are like.
In addition, the heads of school from many of the independent schools in town share information; we might not make the same decisions for our schools, but we share our observations about road conditions across the city.
Finally, I consult with KCD’s own facilities staff because it’s not only the condition of the roads that matters, but also our ability to clear the parking lots and sidewalks on campus. The facilities report this past Tuesday morning contributed to the decision to close school because of the hours it was going to take to clear the snow before the staff could even tackle the ice that had formed underneath.
My goal is to announce delays or closures by 6:00 am when possible, but sometimes changing conditions might necessitate a slightly later announcement. If you are not signed up for text alerts from the school about delays and closures (or if you’re not sure if you’re signed up for them!) please contact Jeff Topham at jeff.topham@kcd.org.
Our policy is that teachers will post academic assignments on days when school is closed, beginning with the second closure of the year. Moving forward, we have established that teachers should have at-home academic assignments posted to onCampus by 9:00 am on days when school is closed. That timeframe should ensure that students have the opportunity to view all of their assignments and plan their work time during the day.
Please let me know if you have any questions about our process. You can email me at anne.glosky@kcd.org. Let’s all hope for clear skies and warmer temperatures in the coming weeks!KCD Connect
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Kentucky Country Day School is a private JK–12, coeducational school located on a spacious 80+ acre campus in Louisville, KY. KCD combines a rigorous academic program with a wide variety of athletic and extracurricular programs. Our outstanding faculty creates an intimate learning environment that is both challenging and supportive.