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Highlands School District Cancellation and Delay Procedures
2024-2025 School Year
With the winter weather season approaching, we want to remind our families of the district’s procedures for delaying or canceling the school day to ensure you can plan accordingly. In addition, this notice provides information about the district’s Flexible Instruction Days (Remote Learning Days) on inclement weather days.
The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance to us, so the decision to delay or cancel classes is taken very seriously. The current road and weather conditions, temperature, and wind chill are considered during a winter weather event. We also consult with coordinators from the transportation company who travel the streets in the district to assess their safety. Please be aware that school delays or cancellations can also occur for unexpected reasons, such as an area water main break, power outage, or another significant event. Be sure you have alternate plans if the district needs to delay, cancel, or dismiss students early.
School delays and cancellations:
- The decision to delay or cancel school will be made and communicated whenever possible before 6:00 a.m. and, if possible, the night before. However, there are occasions when changing road and weather conditions will necessitate a later decision.
- A one-call message and email will be sent to families notifying them of the delay or cancellation. Please make sure your phone number and email address are up to date. If your contact information needs updated, please log into PowerSchool to make any necessary changes or contact your child’s school. The Highlands School District website will post any school delays or closures. Please visit www.goldenrams.com for information. The information will also be shared on the district’s social media outlets.
- In addition to the one-call message, email, and website, Highlands also notifies three local news stations: KDKA, WPXI, and WTAE. Please note that the school district does not control how quickly the information is updated on air. You may consider signing up for electronic alerts through the respective television stations.
Early Dismissal Plans:
If Highlands School District needs to dismiss school early, please ensure your family has appropriate childcare arrangements and dismissal plans. It is essential that your emergency contact information is current. If your contact information needs updated, please log into PowerSchool to make any necessary changes or contact your child’s school.
Remember that parents/guardians always have the final determination as to whether or not to send their children to school. While we strive to make the best possible decisions in the given timeframe, unexpected winter weather issues may occur. Thank you for your support and assistance as we prepare for inclement weather.
Flexible Instruction Days (Remote Learning Days):
Highlands School District will continue utilizing Flexible Instruction Days (FID / Remote Learning Days) instead of unexpected, emergency school closures to eliminate the need for make-up days. Specifically, the District will use FID (Remote Learning Days) instead of cancellations for inclement weather for the 2024-2025 school year.
If the district needs to cancel in-person instruction, all students will receive remote instruction through their district-issued devices. We encourage the students to bring their devices home each evening during the winter months.
Transportation will only be provided to students who attend a school outside the district, including students who attend Forbes Road CTC if it is a non-weather-related remote learning day.
The transition to a Flexible Instruction Day (Remote Learning Day) will be announced via one-call message, email, district website, and social media outlets.
Flexible Instruction Days (Remote Learning Days) will operate on a one-hour delay schedule to allow students and staff time to transition to remote instruction. Students should be logged on for homeroom by the following times for all one-hour delays:
High School: 8:40 a.m.
Middle School: 9:10 a.m.
Elementary School: 9:55 a.m.
Early Childhood Center: 9:55 a.m.
NOTE: If the district is already operating on a two-hour delay and transitions to a remote learning day, students should follow the two-hour delay schedule.
- Students will participate in synchronous (real-time with live instruction) or asynchronous instruction. Students should access their Google Classroom for the link. Each teacher will post the type of instruction for that day on their Google Classroom and Zoom.
- Daily attendance will be taken during homeroom, so students must join their homeroom on time. Those who join late will be marked absent for the day and must submit an excuse upon return.
- After homeroom, students should access their Google Classroom each period and follow the teacher’s directions for synchronous or asynchronous instruction. Students who miss a synchronous class will be marked as an illegal absence for that period. Disciplinary consequences may be issued as they are during regular school days.
- Technical difficulties or connectivity issues should be reported to the classroom teacher. Students will not be penalized if there is an Internet issue. This can happen during inclement weather; we will be flexible.
If you have questions about this notice's contents, please contact your child’s building principal. Please do not call the superintendent or other administrators; they will not have specific details about each building’s procedures.