Operational Procedures for School Closing or Delays
Due to Inclement Weather, Power Outages, Road Closures, Environmental Hazards,
or Other Emergencies
2014-2015 School Year
Decision Making Process
The Superintendent or designee will make the determination to delay opening or to close schools
in emergency situations based upon the recommendation from the Assistant Superintendent for
Support Services. The Assistant Superintendent for Support Services will obtain information
from the Director of Transportation and the Director of Facilities Services, utility companies, and
other appropriate sources prior to making a recommendation to close or delay schools. A
decision will be made as early as possible in order to ensure the safety of LCPS students and
staff members and to provide parents and staff members with timely notification.
Types of Closing/Schedule Changes
All-Day Closing – “Schools and Administrative Offices are Closed”
All schools and administrative offices will be closed for the day.
Essential personnel will report to work as scheduled.
Exceptions must be approved by the supervisor in advance.
Essential personnel not able to report to work will be charged with annual leave.
Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, and non-school
activities are canceled.
Field trips are canceled.
In-service programs and classes for teachers and adult education are canceled.
All community use of facilities and grounds is canceled.
All-Day Closing – “Schools are Closed”
All schools will be closed for the day.
Essential personnel will report to work as scheduled.
Exceptions must be approved by the supervisor in advance.
Essential personnel not able to report to work will be charged with annual leave.
All 12-month employees should report to work as scheduled or contact their
supervisor to request annual leave if unable to report to work.
Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, and non-school
activities are canceled.
Field trips are canceled.
In-service programs and classes for teachers and adult education are canceled.
All community use of facilities and grounds is canceled.
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All-Day Closing – “Schools are Closed – Administrative Offices Open at (Designated Time)”
All schools will be closed for the day. Administrative Offices open at (Designated Time)
Essential personnel will report to work as scheduled.
Exceptions must be approved by the supervisor.
Essential personnel not able to report to work will be charged with annual leave.
All 12-month employees should report to work at (Designated Time) or contact
their supervisor to request annual leave if unable to report to work.
Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, and non-school
activities are canceled.
Field trips are canceled.
In-service programs and classes for teachers and adult education are canceled.
All community use of facilities and grounds is canceled.
Two-Hour Delayed Opening – “Schools and Administrative Offices will Open Two-Hours Late”
All schools and administrative offices will operate on a two-hour delayed opening.
Essential personnel will report to work as scheduled.
Exceptions must be approved by the supervisor.
Essential personnel not able to report to work will be charged with annual leave.
All School Nutrition Office and school staff shall report to work as regularly
scheduled.
All other employees shall report on a two-hour delay.
Program schedules are adjusted as below for a two-hour delay.
PROGRAM
Full-Day Programs
Half-day
Kindergarten /
STEP (4-year-old)
Half-Day
ELL
Head Start
Early Childhood
(Pre-School)
TWO-HOUR DELAY - ADJUSTED SCHEDULE
Students will arrive two (2) hours late at their program school and will remain
until the end of the normal school day.
A.M. Session – will begin two (2) hours late and remain in school for two
hours. These students will leave school one hour later than usual.
P.M. Session – will begin one (1) hour late and remain in school for two hours,
dismissing at the regular time.
Elementary Schools – Students will go to their ELL school on a two-hour
delayed schedule and will follow the kindergarten release procedures.
Middle & High Schools – Students will stay on their regular delayed opening
schedule.
Students in this program will arrive at school on a two-hour delayed schedule
and will dismiss at their regular dismissal time.
AM Session – Will begin two (2) hours late and remain in school for three (3)
hours. These students will leave school one (1) hour later than normal.
PM Session – Will begin one (1) hour late and remain in school for three (3)
hours dismissing at the regular time.
Monroe Technology
Center and
Academy of Science
Students will arrive two (2) hours late and remain until normal dismissal time.
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Early Closing
It may become necessary due to inclement weather or emergency to dismiss students
prior to the scheduled time. Notification of the exact time of closing will be provided to
the schools, parents, media and other essential parties.
Lunch will be served in schools where it has been prepared and time for serving is
available.
Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, and non-school
activities requiring bus transportation will be canceled for the rest of the day and
evening.
Field trips will be canceled unless already departed. Recall efforts will be made
by school principal or designee.
In-service programs and classes for teachers and adult education will be canceled.
All community use of facilities and grounds will be canceled.
Exceptions to any of the above not requiring bus transportation service will be at
the discretion of the school principal or designee.
One-Hour Early Closing
All bus routes will operate as usual except for beginning one (1) hour earlier than
the normal time.
Two-Hour Early Closing
All bus routes will operate two (2) hours earlier than the normal time with the
following program adjustments/exceptions.
PROGRAM
TWO-HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS
Half-Day
Kindergarten /
STEP (4-year-old)
Morning Kindergarten will go home at their regular time.
All afternoon programs are canceled.
ELL
All afternoon classes are canceled.
Pre-School, Special
Education Early
Childhood Classes
and Head Start
Programs
FUTURA
Monroe Technology
Center
Academy of Science
AM Sessions – These students will remain at school until the time other
students are dismissed. These students will ride their regular bus with the other
special education students.
GED Program
PM Sessions are canceled.
Students will be transported back to their home school two (2) hours earlier than
normal.
Students will ride back to their home schools with the Douglass School
students.
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Weekend Activities
In the event of snow or inclement weather, events scheduled in school facilities and on
school grounds during weekend hours, including interscholastic contests and practices
may be canceled.
Decisions related to these activities will be based upon a
recommendation by the Superintendent or designee and contingent upon transportation
requirements and campus conditions.
Closing or Delay of a single school or limited group of schools
The Superintendent or designee must approve the closing or delay of an individual school
or groups of schools impacted by an emergency event such as loss of electricity or water,
or some other local emergency conditions.
In the event of a single school closing or group of school closing, it is the
responsibility of the principal to develop a contingency plan to ensure students are
returned safely to parents or guardians.
Principals shall make every effort to contact parents of students who do not have a
child care plan. No elementary or middle school child should be sent home
without confirmation of parental consent.
Notifications to parents, students and employees
The Public Information Office will announce school closings or delayed openings using the
school division’s website, ConnectEd, and media contacts as determined appropriate for each
emergency event.
The public can use any of the following resources to obtain information:
Local radio and television stations
Loudoun County Public Schools website at www.lcps.org
Assigned Responsibilities
Superintendent
Upon recommendation from the Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, makes
the closing/delayed opening decision.
Assistant Superintendent for Support Services
Receives a report from the Transportation Director and Facilities Services Director prior
to making a recommendation to the Superintendent concerning closing/delayed opening
of schools.
Contacts the Superintendent for a decision on closing/delayed opening
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Director of Transportation
Coordinates essential personnel to monitor road conditions when inclement weather
events are predicted, and/or after they have occurred.
Reports findings of road conditions to the Assistant Superintendent for Support Services
or designee as needed to assist in making the decision to open or close schools.
Director of Facilities Services
Coordinates with essential personnel and school based administrators to monitor
conditions and implement corrective actions (i.e. snow removal, emergency repairs, etc.)
at schools to ensure operations resume at the earliest possible time.
Routinely reports condition status to Assistant Superintendent for Support Services.
School Nutrition Services Supervisor
Informs staff of their responsibilities for emergency closings and delayed openings as
outlined in these procedures.
Coordinates for acceptance or delay in any food deliveries when schools are closed.
Makes arrangements for providing students a cold or brown bag lunch during power
outages.
School Based Administrators
Prepare plans in advance to implement as emergency events occur.
Inform parents, students, and staff of the procedures for emergency closings and delayed
openings as outlined in these procedures. Inform parents that they are responsible for
arranging emergency child care and that transportation delays may be expected in bad
weather.
Coordinate school based essential personnel to appropriately maintain the facility, clear
and treat sidewalks and entrances during inclement weather and other emergency events.
Call the Director of Facilities to report any pertinent conditions that may affect a school
closing decision, including loss of heat, electricity or water.
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Essential Personnel
Includes those employees in positions with oversight or maintenance of school facilities,
and/or oversight of critical operational support services.
Following emergency events such as severe weather, essential personnel will report to
their place of duty as scheduled by the employee’s supervisor to assist the school division
in maintaining, or resuming operations.
Essential personnel include the following:
Superintendent
Deputy Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent for Support Services
Director of Transportation
Director of Facilities Services
All Facilities Services Personnel
Head Custodians/Custodians
Safety and Security (All non-school based personnel)
All 12-Month Transportation Personnel
All 12-Month Garage Personnel
Leave and Compensation
Emergency Leave (No leave reported)
Leave which occurs because an emergency condition exists, closing the school/office for
a period of time during normal business hours; thereby preventing the non-essential
employee from reporting to work as scheduled.
When emergency closings or delays are announced, and offices are closed for the
full work day:
12-month employees scheduled to work on the day of the closure will be
paid without taking leave.
Less than 12-month employees shall not be charged leave on the day of
the closure.
When emergency conditions require a delayed opening:
12-month employees (and cafeteria workers) should report on time or be
charged leave accordingly.
Less than 12-month employees will work the shortened day without taking
leave.
Non-Essential Unscheduled Leave (Leave is reported)
During inclement weather or other emergency events, a non-essential employee may take
unscheduled leave if the employee determines it is unsafe to travel or report to work.
A non-essential employee who determines that he/she is unable to safely report to work
during inclement weather shall notify his/her supervisor of the intention to take leave.
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Essential Personnel
Essential personnel are required to report to work during emergency closures to assist in
returning schools to normal operations. Exceptions must be approved in advance by the
supervisor.
Exempt employees will be paid their regular rate of pay for the period of closure.
Non-exempt employees will be paid the regular rate plus regular rate of pay for hours
worked as essential personnel during the period of the emergency closure.
If an employee is designated as essential personnel, and the employee fails to
report to work, the employee must take annual leave for the period of time
required to be on the job for essential duties (including nights and weekends).
Time on the job as essential personnel during the period of closure counts towards the
total workweek hours, and the employee will be paid for non-emergency work hours as
specified under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Edition Date: 16 October 2014
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