- Wentzville School District
- Inclement Weather
Inclement Weather
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The safety of our students and staff is a top priority. Please see below for procedures regarding unfavorable weather conditions.
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Cold Weather Guidelines
The District follows these procedures for cold temperatures and/or wind chill advisory:
Cold Temperature/Wind Chill Advisory Guidelines
Temperature/wind chill under 15 degrees
All activities must be held indoors
Superintendent's office notifies buildings when cold temperatures/wind chill is under 15 degrees
Temperature/wind chill is 15-20 degrees
Outdoor activity is limited to 10 minutes
Temperature/wind chill is 20 degrees or higher
Outdoor activity is limited to 20 minutes
Temperature/wind chill is above 32 degrees
Activities can be held without restrictions
Extremely cold weather can be very dangerous. Parents and guardians should be certain that their children are appropriately clothed with mittens, hats, coats, etc., so they can be comfortable both inside and outside. Most days your student is going outside for some period of time either at recess or traveling to/from school.
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Heat/Heat Index Guidelines
The District follows these procedures for heat and/or heat index advisories:
Heat/Heat Index Guidelines
Temperature/Heat Index less than 95 degrees
Normal recess
Temperature/Heat Index 95-100 degrees
Limit outdoor recess to 10 minutes
Temperature/Heat Index 101-104 degrees
Indoor recess
Temperature/Heat Index 105 degrees or greater
All activities are held indoor
Superintendent's office notifies buildings when heat/heat index reaches 105 degrees
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Snow Closure Procedures
Timely communication with our District families is always a priority, but especially important in emergency school closing situations. The decision to cancel school for a snow day is made for the entire District, and not for specific areas. There may be times when the conditions in some parts of the District may be deemed unsafe, while conditions in other parts of the District may not be as bad.
Timing of Notification
The District makes every attempt to reach a decision regarding the closing of school by 5 a.m. However, there may be times when the weather conditions change rapidly in the early morning hours, and the decision could be delayed. While the District strives to make the best decision for all students, there may be times when a parent needs to make the final determination about their child’s attendance on a particular day.Early Dismissal
The District may dismiss early when winter weather arrives quickly and unexpectedly during the school day. Parents/guardians who work outside the home during school hours are encouraged to have a plan in place to ensure an adult is available to care for young children if they get home early. Make certain that your children know where to go if no one is at home when they arrive.Delayed Start
In the event of a 2-hour delayed start, buses will pick up approximately two hours later than normal, and classes will start two hours later than normal.AMI Days
The WSD will utilize Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) to keep students engaged in learning and prevent extending the school year into the summer break. On AMI days, families and staff will be notified through the regular district communication channels. Student attendance will be recorded and documented by the completion of assignments and turning in activities. Assignments will be turned in either through Canvas or by returning them to their teacher on the next in-person learning day. View AMI assignments here. Educators will be available electronically by email during AMI days for guidance with instruction. -
Tornado Warning Procedures
During School Hours
All students and staff will take shelter in the designated tornado safety area until the National Weather Service declares the warning over. Please note that student signouts will not be possible during this time, as staff will also be sheltering.During Dismissal, Before Buses Depart
Everyone will shelter in place at school until the warning expires. Bus routes will be delayed accordingly.While Students are on a Bus
The driver will re-route to the nearest WSD building to take shelter. If reaching a building isn’t safe, the driver will implement bus tornado procedures which may involve finding a safe place to pull over and instructing students to take cover under their seats with their heads protected. They will remain in this position until they can safely resume their route or make it to a district building. Routes would resume when the warning expires. -
Web Bulb Globe Thermometer (WBGT) | MSHSAA
School Closures: How You'll Be Notified
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District Phone Call/Text/Email
The WSD utilizes Focus to notify all households by phone, text, and email within minutes of an emergency or unplanned event that causes early dismissal or school cancelation. The service may also be used occasionally by individual schools to communicate general announcements or reminders. Please be sure to notify the school office about any change in your personal contact information. You always have the option of how you would like to receive notifications (you can turn off the call and only receive texts and/or emails for example). Learn more about updating your preferences here.
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Website
The District website will be updated with any emergency school closing information. Please check the homepage.
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Social Media
The WSD has its own Facebook page (Wentzville School District) be sure to “like” us! It's a great way to keep up to date with the latest happenings in the District, complete with pictures. You can also follow the District on Twitter, just search for WSDinfo or Instagram (wsdschools). All three social media sites will be used not only to keep community members informed about the latest news in the District, but in the event of a school closing or emergency, this will be yet another means of communicating quickly and efficiently.
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TV
When inclement weather causes the District to cancel school or dismiss classes early, please check the following television stations for school closing information.
These TV stations also have websites with the same school closing information. Look for the Wentzville R-IV School District. Please be advised that individual schools will not be listed separately, closings will always be listed as the Wentzville R-IV School District.
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WSD App Push Notification
The WSD has an app you can download and choose to follow your child's school. The app will be an additional notification tool used in the event of a school closing or emergency to send followers a push notification directly to your phone. You can download the WSD app from iTunes or Google Play.
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If WSD schools are forced to close due to inclement weather or other factors (i.e. power outages, water main breaks), parents/guardians will be notified in the above ways.