Blizzard? Naperville schools may start late instea

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Blizzard? Naperville schools may start late instead of cancel

By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 12/9/00

Just in time for the first significant snowfall of the season, Naperville Unit District 203 announced it will now have the option of starting school late - rather than canceling - during inclement weather.

However, no decisions had been made as of Tuesday afternoon as to whether a late start schedule will be used this week.

Superintendent Mark Mitrovich had discussed the idea of a late start schedule with the school board last month and announced its implementation to families via its Talk203 e-mail Monday night.

He said a late start will give the plows time to clear the roads so students can get to school on days classes may have otherwise been canceled entirely.

"By employing a late start schedule on wintry days, we can still provide a quality educational experience without compromising safety or losing a whole day of instruction," he said in the e-mail.

District 203's late start schedule calls for pushing back the start of school by about two hours. Buses would still transport students and the usual food service would be provided.

For high school students, a late start would mean drop-off at 9 a.m. and the start of classes at 9:30 a.m.

At the junior high level, drop off would be at 9:30 a.m. and school would start at 10 a.m.

Elementary students would be dropped off at 10 a.m. and start school at 10:15 a.m.

At all three levels, classes would be shortened and dismissal times would remain the same as usual.

At the kindergarten level, morning students would not attend but afternoon kindergarten would still start at noon and end at 2:30 p.m. like a typical day.

Melea Smith, director of communications, said the district still plans to make decisions about whether cancel or delay the start of school on the morning of a day with inclement weather.

Parents would be notified by 5:45 a.m. via a telephone call and e-mail. Information will also be posted on the district's Web site as well as broadcast on area television and radio stations.

If the district calls for a late start, it will not subsequently cancel school for the day, according to Smith. It also will not dismiss students early if the weather worsens.

Last year the district canceled school three times due to inclement weather, each time pushing back the last day of school.

The date school ends is especially important for the district right now as Naperville Central High School is undergoing a massive renovation project. Crews are scheduled to start the next phase of work as soon as students leave for the school year.

Late start schedule

Naperville Unit District 203 now has the option of using a late start schedule if there is bad weather. Decisions about whether to use a late start or cancel school would be made by 5:45 a.m. on that day. Dismissal times would remain the same as usual.

High schools:

Drop off at 9 a.m.

Classes begin 9:30 a.m.

Junior high schools:

Drop off 9:30 a.m.

Classes begin 10 a.m.

Elementary schools:

Drop off 10 a.m.

Classes begin 10:15 a.m.

Kindergarten:

Morning session canceled

Afternoon session would start at noon as usual

Source: www.naperville203.org

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'Late starts' may replace snow days in Geneva 304
By Susan Sarkauskas | Daily Herald 12/10/09

Geneva students may not get to enjoy the kid-prized tradition of "snow days" as much anymore.

The school district is implementing a "late start" policy for times when the weather is frightful, rather than automatically canceling the whole day.

School bus officials begin checking road conditions throughout the district about 2 a.m. when heavy snow is forecast. Superintendent Kent Mutchler also drives around town. The call to cancel is usually made by 6 a.m.

Last year, sometimes roads were in much better condition only a few hours later, officials found. And Mutchler has worked in districts that used late starts.

The aim is to try to salvage some educational time in the winter. "And we know the quality of learning is better in the winter, when students aren't staring out the window" like on a sunny June day, Mutchler said.

It may also enable working parents to salvage a work day, rather than having to take an unexpected whole day off to care for their children.

When a late start is declared, school will start two hours later than normal, but end at the same time, so class periods will be shortened. Buses will pick students up in the morning two hours after the normal time.

Students are encouraged to bring their lunches from home, since there will be less time to purchase and eat a lunch.

The only students who won't attend on a late-start day are morning kindergartners. The before-school portion of Kids Zone care will be canceled.

There is still the possibility school could be canceled, if administrators decide by 7 a.m. that the weather is just too bad.

"There's no perfect situation," Mutchler said. "We thought we'd try this."

State law allows delayed-start days to count toward the required amount of attendance time to get per diem per student payments from the state.

School closures and late starts are announced on the district's Web site, through the 304 Connects e-mail lists, and to the Emergency Closing Center, which broadcasts announcements on radio and television stations.

Other districts

Neighboring districts do not have late-start policies, including Batavia, West Aurora District 129, St. Charles and Kaneland.

"Our objective is to preserve full days of instruction. We tend to say either 'yes' or 'no,' " said Jim Blaney, school and community relations director for St. Charles District 303.

Kaneland School District 302 does not do late starts. But it has a different situation than the in-town districts, because most of the district is rural. Buses must traverse two-lane rural highways, sometimes picking up students at the end of driveways.

"We strongly believe, given the extent of busing in our district and our country roads, it is best for people to know when our buses are on the roads" instead of changing times, Superintendent Charles McCormick said.