When winter weather or other emergencies affect the school day, we know families need timely, reliable information to plan ahead. Our priority is to keep students safe and give parents and guardians as much notice as possible about school delays, closures or early dismissals.

How we make the Decision
Our goal is to announce school delays or closures before 6 a.m. so families have time to adjust their morning plans and students aren’t left waiting at bus stops or arriving at schools that are closed.

To help make that decision, a team begins assessing conditions as early as 4 a.m. The team includes our transportation supervisor, superintendent, custodial lead responsible for snow removal, and administrators from outlying schools. They review weather forecasts, live radar and road webcams, and check conditions with the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Together, they assess road conditions and school grounds to determine whether it’s safe to open schools and transport students that day.

How we will Notify you
Our first line of communication is BrightArrow, KCSD’s mass notification system. Our goal is to send alerts by 5:30 a.m., whenever possible, and make every effort to notify families of a delay or closure by 6 a.m. Because BrightArrow sends alerts to more than 7,000 parents and guardians, it can take up to 30 minutes for everyone to receive a message.

We will share announcements on the district website and on our KCSD Facebook and Instagram pages. Local television and radio stations also help spread the word.

To make sure you receive important updates:

Check your contact information. Make sure your school has your current phone number and email address. You can update your information through your parent portal or by contacting your school.
Choose how you’d like to be notified. BrightArrow allows parents and guardians to receive messages by text, phone call, or email.
For early dismissals, we’ll notify families through BrightArrow as soon as a decision is made and post updates on the district website and social media pages.

What if Conditions are Unsafe Where I Live?
Weather and road conditions can vary across our district. Even if schools remain open, you may determine that conditions in your area make it unsafe for your child to travel to school. If your child will be absent, please call your school to let staff know.

Thank you for helping us keep students safe and for making sure your family is prepared for weather-related changes to the school day.