Inclement Weather (Snow) Day

School Schedule Decisions

Making a decision about weather-related school delays or closures is always difficult, because so many different situations have to be considered. We take the decision-making process very seriously. Student and staff safety is always our number one priority.

Our staff begins evaluating road conditions across the district at 3:30 a.m. Here is the process:

• Transportation and operations staff drive our district’s most challenging areas.
• They compare notes with transportation staff from neighboring districts and municipalities to assess conditions outside our local area.
• They review updates weather forecasts to assess whether conditions are improving or deteriorating.
• We also consider:
  • Building conditions: Do the buildings have power, light and heat?
  • Site conditions: Is the parking lot plowed? Can buses get in and turn around? Can parents drop off students?
  • Road conditions: Are the roads continually plowed and is traffic moving?
  • Air temperature: How cold is it? Can children safely walk to school?
• We make the best decision possible given the information we have, with student and staff safety in mind.

Inclement Weather Information

At times, school operating hours or school bus transportation services may be adjusted or canceled due to bad weather. If inclement weather—like snow or ice—makes a school schedule change necessary, the decision will be made by the Superintendent and communicated to families and staff by:

• Call/email/text to all families. Please ensure your school has your updated contact information (phone/email can be updated via Skyward Family Access).
• Renton School District website and all school websites
• The district's Facebook page
• The district’s Twitter page
• The district's Instagram page
• Local media outlets (TV, radio)

Parents and employees should ensure the school and district has their most current contact information, email and phone number in order to receive the call/email/text. Also, please remember that schools have limited phone lines and staff to answer phone calls: Please reserve calls to your student's school for those that are most urgent.

Our top priority is the safety of students. When emergency conditions result in school schedule changes, Renton Schools will notify families and staff using our phone/email/text notification system, our social media pages and local media. The information below will help you understand the brief notifications you receive.

1. SCHOOLS CLOSED

If inclement weather causes schools to close, ALL of our schools and programs will be closed for that day. All scheduled activities, meetings, and athletics are also canceled. No transportation will be provided to schools outside our district even though they may be open that day. District administrative offices may remain open.

2. TWO HOURS LATE

If inclement weather causes school opening to be delayed, we will open schools two hours later than regular start time. School buses will begin their first route two hours late, but at regularly scheduled stops UNLESS the message specifies LIMITED TRANSPORTATION. There will be no morning or afternoon classes for preschool and ECEAP at Meadow Crest Early Learning Center. No transportation will be provided to schools or programs outside of our district. Schools will dismiss at regular times. (Example: If your student normally rides Route 101 and gets on the bus at 6:42 a.m., now the same stop would be at 8:42 a.m.)

3. LIMITED SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

Limited Bus Stops may be used when we open schools two-hours late depending on road conditions. Both morning and afternoon school bus routes will use the Limited Transportation routes unless a “change” announcement is made for the afternoon. If the weather allows for regular bus stops in the afternoon, the change will be announced before dismissal time.

4. EVENING AND ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES CANCELED

If travel conditions become hazardous after school has been dismissed, afternoon and evening athletic activities and meetings scheduled in schools may be canceled.

• School schedule change announcements apply for that day only.
• If no announcement is made by  Renton School District during a weather event, all of our schools, offices, and buses are operating normally.
• Continue to look for updated announcements throughout the day. If conditions change rapidly or unexpectedly, we may need to make a quick decision to cancel school or send students home early.
• Keep in mind that some areas of the district experience more severe weather and driving conditions than others. School closures and schedule changes are district-wide, even if your neighborhood is not severely impacted.
• Find your limited transportation bus routes.
• Please avoid calling the transportation office, your school, or the district offices. Calls divert staff from responding to the current situation.

TO: Certificated Staff 

FROM: Human Resources

RE: 2019-20 Late Start & Weather/Emergency-Related Schedules Memo

As inclement weather and winter approaches, so does the potential for late start schedules and school closures. Here are some things to remember. 

In the event of a late start:  

Arrive as close to your normal start time as possible, as safe as possible, and no later than 30 minutes before the rescheduled student start time. If you are unable to make it to work due to road conditions, let your supervisor know and then take appropriate leave per your contract.

A late start day counts as a “student day”. 

On late start days in the rest of the district when Meadow Crest Early Learning Center (MCELC) cancels classes for students, MCELC staff still report to work for their normal shift.

In the event of a school closure:  

Do not report to work as this is now a non-student, non-work day. The student days will be “made up” on the designated weather make-up day(s). Any weather-related make-up days are contracted work days. 

KEC-based TOSAs do not report to work when schools are closed.

Work calendars are available on the Human Resources webpage on the district website. If you have questions, please call 425.204.2370.

TO: Classified Staff

FROM: Human Resources

RE: 2019-2020 Late Start & Weather-Related Schedules Memo

As inclement weather and winter approaches, so does the potential for late start schedules and school closures. Here are some things to remember. In the event of a building/program/District closure due to emergency/inclement weather, buildings will be presumed to be open to employees unless notification is provided that employees should not report to work. 

Notification is made via, media announcements, school messenger, website postings.  Certain employees have been designated as essential personnel and they were notified of this designation by November 1.  Essential personnel are expected to report even if buildings/district are closed unless notified otherwise by their supervisor. 

Employees should exercise appropriate judgement regarding their ability to report for work.  Employees who do not report to work need to take appropriate leave or make other arrangements with their supervisor such as outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement such as working remotely, making up the time, leave without pay.

In the event of a late start for most classified employees:

Late start days count as “student days” and therefore are work days for 180 day employees. All classified staff members are required to work their regular number of hours per day.

Example: The employee is a 6-hour Para who works 1:1 with a student and school is 2 hours late. The employee reports to work as close to their regular shift as possible, (keeping safety in mind as well) and works his/her 6 hours. This is applicable even if the student is absent.

In the event of a late start for Meadow Crest Early Learning Center (MCELC):

On late start days in the rest of the district when MCELC cancels classes for students, MCELC staff still report to work for their normal shift.

Example: The employee is a 3.25-hour Para in the Preschool Program and with a late start, Preschool is cancelled. The employee reports to work as close to their regular shift as possible (keeping safety in mind as well) and works their 3.25 hours.

In the event of a late start for bus drivers:

Bus drivers will report as normal to start their routes, as communicated by the Director of Transportation.

In the event of a school/district closure:

• Classified employees working less than 260 days do not report to work.  These days will be made up.  Any weather-related make-up days are contracted work days. 
• Any employee who has been designated as essential personnel is expected to report to work.  RESP, AFT, SEIU and RPTA employees were notified by November 1 if they were designated as essential personnel. 
• 260 day classified employees who have not been designated as essential personnel are expected to report to work when possible. 
• If the district office (KEC) is open, 260-day KEC staff are expected to report to work when possible.

Work calendars are available on the Human Resources on the district website. If you have questions, please call 425.204.2370.

TO: Leadership Team 

FROM: Human Resources 

RE: 2019-20 Late Start & Weather-Related Schedules Memo

As inclement weather and winter approaches, so does the potential for late start schedules and school/District closures. Please be sure you understand the expectations of you and your staff regarding weather/emergency related schedules. Attached are the memos going to certificated and classified staff. Here are some things to remember. 

Buildings will be presumed to be open to employees unless notification is provided that employees should not report to work.  Notification is made via, media announcements, school messenger, website postings.  Certain employees have been designated as essential personnel and they were notified of this designation by November 1.  Essential personnel are expected to report even if buildings/district are closed unless notified otherwise by their supervisor. 

Employees should exercise appropriate judgement regarding their ability to report for work.  Employees who do not report to work need to take appropriate leave or make other arrangements with their supervisor such as outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement such as working remotely, making up the time, leave without pay.

You are expected to report to work as close to your regular start time, using appropriate judgement as to your ability to do so safely.  You must be in communication with your supervisor regarding any changes to your schedule. 

Work calendars are available on the Human Resources page on the district website. If you have questions, please call us at extension 4-2370.