Inclement Weather
When dangerous weather conditions exist in the Kansas City metro area, Barstow will make decisions about delays, closures and cancellations in the best interest of our students, athletes and school community.
Inclement Weather Options
List of 4 items.
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Option A: School Closure
Read MoreA traditional snow day. We build two snow days into our calendar.Status
- Classes are canceled and campus closed to all students.
- Common Criteria: unsafe roads, loss of power or heat, extreme cold.
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Option B: Late Start
Read MoreConditions expected to clear by mid-morning.Status
- School opens two hours late and dismisses at the regular time.
- Common Criteria: conditions expected to improve by mid-morning.
- If conditions worsen, the School may revert to Option A using the emergency notification system.
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Option C: Asynchronous Online Learning
Read MoreTypically, day two of a weather event, or no built-in snow days remaining.Status
- Campus closed to students. Students complete posted work on their own schedule.
- No make-up day necessary.
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Option D: Live Online Learning
Read MoreOnly when announced by 8 p.m. the night before.Status
- Campus closed to students. Classes meet by video at set times, with breaks off screen.
- For planned multi-day closures, a D learning day will be announced by 8 p.m. the evening before.
How Weather Decisions Are Made
List of 3 items.
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What We Consider
- National Weather Service alerts and warnings, local forecasts.
- Snow and ice accumulation and duration.
- Essential campus functions, including electricity and heating systems.
- Road conditions throughout the metro area. Barstow students come from more than 70 zip codes, with many student drivers.
- Campus parking lot and sidewalk conditions.
- Temperature and wind chill.
- City, county and neighboring school/district closures.
- Advance preparation for online learning.
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Who Decides
- The Head of School makes the final decision, on the recommendation of the Chief Operations Officer.
- The decision is always school-wide. Families with children in multiple divisions receive one notification.
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How You Will Hear
- The Barstow School Emergency Notification System: text, voice call and/or email to all families and employees
- School website banner and homepage alert
- School social media accounts
A Word About Wind Chills
In some cases, extremely cold temperatures may prompt a change to the school schedule, necessitating an online learning day or late start.
The National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Advisory when wind chills are -15ºF or colder and a Wind Chill Warning when wind chills are -25ºF or colder. Temperatures in these ranges can cause frostbite within 10-15 minutes, and may also affect heating and electrical systems. Barstow will consider these advisories when making closure or late start decisions.
The National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Advisory when wind chills are -15ºF or colder and a Wind Chill Warning when wind chills are -25ºF or colder. Temperatures in these ranges can cause frostbite within 10-15 minutes, and may also affect heating and electrical systems. Barstow will consider these advisories when making closure or late start decisions.
Attendance
Decisions about school closures can be complicated. If the school remains open, but you are uncomfortable transporting your student to campus, you have the option to keep your child home. In this case, use the SchoolPass app to report your student's absence or late arrival and indicate weather conditions as the reason. Your child's absence will be recorded as excused. There is no online learning option for these students.
Outdoor Recess & Breaks
Recess and breaks are taken outside when possible, so the school requests that students are dressed appropriately for all conditions when they come to campus. Division directors and teachers make decisions about indoor recess based on temperatures and precipitation throughout the day.
