Hudson City School District General Guidelines for School

Hudson City School District General Guidelines for School Cancellation or delayed start due to Inclement Weather

Inclement Weather The business manager monitors weather conditions and makes recommendations to the superintendent for cancellation or delay based on a variety of factors including: Snow levels Temperature Road/parking conditions Wind Speed Visibility Possible facility issues. Safety is our primary concern HCSD Business Office 2

Snow Levels When we experience large volumes of snow or when large volumes are predicted to fall in our area, travel may become extremely dangerous. We consider several factors before deciding whether to cancel or delay the start of the school day. Some of those factors include: Can the City of Hudson service department keep the main roads and secondary roads clear? Can Hudson City Schools maintenance staff adequately clear parking lots and sidewalks on campus? Are student walkers able to access city sidewalks? Is visibility poor due to high winds? Are snow levels predicted to increase throughout the day? If snow volume is heavy in the early morning hours but is expected to slow down considerably by the start of the school day, a 2 -hour delay may be considered in order to allow time for roads, parking lots, and sidewalks to be cleared and treated. HCSD Business Office 3

Wind Chill When extremely cold temperature and high wind speed occur simultaneously, the resulting wind chill factor can create a dangerous situation. Although there is no hard and fast rule that the school district follows when deciding when to cancel or delay the start of a school day due to the wind chill factor, we look to the Wind Chill Chart published by the National Weather Service as a guide. In general, a student who is a walker or bus rider should not be exposed to extreme cold for more than 30 minutes consecutively. According to the attached wind chill chart, the threat of frostbite becomes eminent when: Skin is exposed for 30 minutes Wind chill factor is at least 18 degrees below zero. (-18) To be conservative, we seriously consider school cancellation or delayed start when the wind chill factor reaches 15 degrees below zero. HCSD Business Office 4

HCSD Business Office 5