School Closings and Delays

As with inclement weather, community incidents may require us to cancel classes, open schools late, or close them early. An emergency might affect the entire school system or, more frequently, just a small number of schools (as in a gas leak, water outage or power loss). In such a situation, the following plan goes into effect:

• The school system's crisis team will monitor and manage the situation.
• The WCPSS homepage or school website will carry the announcement of the closing, delay or early dismissal.
• Depending on the number of students affected, the emergency phone system may be used to contact their parents.
• We will notify media outlets.
• If classes are canceled or dismissed early, all athletic and extracurricular events at the affected schools are canceled. Community Schools evening programs operate on a different schedule; any change will be announced separately.
• Before-school programs will start on a delayed schedule. After-school programs will operate from an early dismissal to the regular closing time. Neither program will operate if school is closed.