As the snowy months approach, the Voorheesville Central School District would like to remind families, staff and community members how you will receive notice if school will be operating under a delay or will be closed due to inclement weather.
Notifications will be sent through ParentSquare if there are any changes to the daily school schedule. Information will also be posted on the district website and shared with most local media outlets — with the exception of WNYT News Channel 13.
At times, the district may announce a delay while we continue to assess road conditions. If that occurs, the message will indicate when a final decision will be made.
How Weather-Related Decisions Are Made
The safety of our students and staff is always our number one priority when determining how to respond to winter storms. Multiple factors are carefully considered before making a decision:
- Timing: Decisions must be made before buses begin routes and before students and staff start commuting. Conditions can change quickly throughout the day, creating unsafe travel.
- Road Conditions: Snow and ice can vary significantly across the district. All bus routes must be passable and safe before transportation begins.
- Staff Attendance: Severe weather can affect staff travel, which may impact supervision and operations.
- Bus Operations: Extremely cold temperatures or icy roads can delay or disrupt bus schedules.
- Student Safety: Students are supervised at school, whereas conditions at home may vary.
- Access to Meals: We recognize that some students rely on school-provided breakfast and lunch.
- Loss of Instructional Time: Even a small number of missed days can affect learning progress.
- Scheduled Events: Closures can impact after-school activities, athletic events, exams and field trips.
- School Calendar: New York State requires a set number of instructional hours. Excessive closures could require adjustments to vacations or the school year.
- Delays or Early Releases: These options allow flexibility to ensure safety while maintaining instructional time when possible.
Please remember that neighboring districts may make different decisions based on their unique geographic and transportation conditions.
We appreciate your understanding and partnership as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, staff and community.