Inclement Weather Days

ATTENTION: The Central Dauphin School District was approved for FID in the 2023-24 school year. The program approval is good for 3 years.

The Central Dauphin School District will be taking advantage of our Flexible Instructional Day program as outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for inclement weather days. Please note that the district can only use up to five FID days for the 2023-2024 school year. Also, please note that not every inclement weather day may be used as a FID day. In other words, we may still cancel school days during inclement weather and we would need to make those days up on the school calendar.

Student participation is required for a successful inclement weather FID day. By continuing education during these weather emergencies, it will allow us to preserve our vacation days as scheduled while keeping instruction moving forward. Please pay close attention to announcements during inclement weather for instructions on how the day will be conducted.

Flexible Instructional Day Program FAQs

What is the Flexible Instructional Day program?

Will every snow day, or other weather emergency day, be used for remote learning?

Not every weather emergency will work for a remote learning day. For example, if a large number of students and teachers are without power, we may need to consider it a traditional snow day. Weather emergencies can happen quickly and, depending on the timing and severity, decisions will need to be made case-by-case. If traditional snow days are used, they will be made up according to the district calendar.

How will families find out when a remote learning day is being instituted?

Communication will be made to all parents and students via the district mass communications system (email, phone calls, news sources). Additional support to the initial communication system will come in the form of posts to the district website and district social media accounts. Teachers will also communicate with their students through their learning management system platforms (Google Classroom and Canvas).

How will instruction occur during a remote learning day?

Our two high schools are 1:1, with a device provided to every student. Our elementary schools and middle schools currently have devices in the buildings at a ratio of 1:2 (1 device for every 2 students) that can be available to students that need them. Because we will have situations where students may not have access to technology during a Flexible Instruction Day, we will need to utilize a blended mode of delivery that includes online and offline resources for students.

Teachers will be conducting the day using an abbreviated schedule that will be shared by your building principal. Students will need to be online for instruction and attendance purposes. Teachers and support staff will also be available throughout the school day for assistance. Please reach out to your teachers and counselors with any questions you may have.

For students that do not have access to technology during a remote learning day, teachers will provide a paper assignment for them to complete and return to school on the next day we have in-person instruction. Making sure that students have access to their teachers for any assistance they need remains paramount in both the online and offline environment.

What will instruction look like during a weather emergency day?

Assignments may focus on current material, current event topics, reflective writings, unit review for upcoming exams, manipulative projects, and more. Students will follow the abbreviated schedule provided by their building principal. The day will be a mix of synchronous (online) and asynchronous (work on your own) lessons with teachers being available throughout the normal school day hours for online assistance. For students that do not have access to technology during a remote learning day, teachers will provide a paper assignment for them to complete and return to school on the next day we have in-person instruction.

What if students are unable to attend live lessons during a weather emergency due to power outages or other extenuating circumstances?

If a student lacks access to digital devices on the Flexible Instruction Day, they may call the school’s phone number to report their attendance status. Teachers will mark attendance appropriately in the district’s student management system. All work that occurs during the Flexible Instructional Day will be submitted online or offline (paper) upon the return to school for the teacher to review. If a student is unable to check in online or call the school for attendance purposes and also does not complete the assignments, a note must be provided by the parent or guardian for an excused absence, in accordance with district attendance policies. At that time, district policy for the submission of late work will apply.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY CANCELLATIONS

In the event of an early dismissal, or if schools are closed due to inclement weather, or any other emergency, it is the normal procedure to cancel all evening activities. There may occasionally be an exception to this rule at which time a message will be posted on the district website, however, it is safe to assume that after-school activities will be canceled.

DELAYED SCHOOL OPENING

Should there be an occasion when weather or some other emergency necessitates a delayed opening of school, Global Connect will be activated and the following procedures will be used:

No lunches will be served to kindergarten students. Please do not call the school office or the Transportation Center.

Notice of a delayed school opening will be announced over local radio and television stations (see "Public Announcements" section) and posted on the district's website homepage.

The announcement that “the opening of Central Dauphin School District will be delayed one (1) hour” indicates that the school staff and all pupils (both transported and walkers) are to arrive at school one (1) hour later than the usual time. On such a day, afternoon dismissal will occur at the regular time.

Same for two (2) hours.

In the event of a two (2)-hour delay, the following Modified Kindergarten Schedule will be in effect:
AM Kindergarten - Arrive 10:45-11 A.M., Dismissed 12:45 P.M.
PM Kindergarten - Arrive 1:45-2 P.M., Dismissed 3:45 P.M.

EARLY DISMISSAL FROM SCHOOL

Should there be an occasion when weather or some other emergency necessitates an early dismissal from school, Global Connect will be activated and the following guidelines will be followed:

Notice of an early dismissal from school will be announced over local radio and television stations (see "Public Announcements" section) and posted on the district's website homepage.

The announcements that "the Central Dauphin School District will have a one (1)-hour early dismissal" indicates that your child's dismissal will be one (1) hour earlier than normal, and that he/she could be arriving home one (1) hour early. The actual time of arrival may vary due to weather conditions.

"Bus riders" will be taken to their regular designated bus stops.

If parents or guardians are not at home at the time of an early dismissal, they are responsible to make provisions for the care of their children with friends or neighbors.

Latchkey programs do not operate in the event of an early dismissal.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public announcements of school closings, delayed school openings or early school dismissals will be made over the following stations. Television: WHP 21, UPN 15. AM Radio: WHP 580. FM Radio: BOB 94.9, KISS 99.3, WRVV 97.3. Announcements also will be made using the district's notification system and posted on the district's website homepage.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS

Should there be an occasion when weather or some other emergency necessitates a school closing, the district's notification system will be activated and the guidelines below will be followed:

Notice of a school closing will be announced over local radio and television stations and posted on the district's website homepage.

It is important in an emergency situation to keep telephone lines open. Please do not call the school office, homes of school officials or the Transportation Center.

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