Delay / Closing Guidelines

Two-Hour Delay and School Closings

When the weather requires the district administration to delay the start of school by two hours because of fog, snow, ice or other conditions, it is important that all constituents what a “two-hour delay” means.

• In the event of a two-hour delay, there will be no morning Preschool.
• Buses will pick students up at their regular bus stop two hours after their normal, scheduled time.  For example, if a child's normally occurs at 6:45 a.m., pick-up will be at 8:45 a.m. on days when a two-hour delay is called.
• Likewise, school will start two hours after the normal Monday - Thursday start time. On Monday-Friday, high school students will begin classes at 9:55 a.m., junior high students will begin at 9:46, and Greensburg Elementary will begin at 10:10. All morning practices, club meetings, and other extracurriculars will be canceled. 

Safety remains the primary focus when the determination is made to close school or delay the start of school by two hours. In certain situations, it may be predicted the conditions will improve from the time a decision to delay is made until the scheduled start of the delayed day. For example, fog may be forecasted to lift or roads may be expected to be cleared. If the situation remains unsafe at the time of the delayed start, the decision to cancel the day may still be made.

Please remember that parents always have the right to make the final decision if they feel it is not safe to send children during inclement weather. It is generally district policy that once the school day has begun, students are not released early.  However, if there is a situation that would call for early dismissal, the same procedure would apply.

It is the policy of Greensburg Community Schools for all elementary and middle school extra-curricular activities to be postponed when schools are closed or dismissed early for inclement weather.  The high school shall make the most informed decision in each particular case as to whether athletic events shall be played.  We will make every attempt to post on the school website the status of each athletic event affected and notify the local media when possible.

Practice Guidelines for Extracurricular Activities on Closed School Days:

Travel Status RED (Warning):
Travel is restricted to emergency service workers only. Buildings are closed and no events/ athletic practices/or personal are to be in the buildings. The only exception to this is the School Resource Officer, Superintendent of Schools, and Director of Maintenance and his staff when approved by the Superintendent.

Travel Status Orange (Watch):
Travel is restricted to; only essential travel, such as, to and from work or in emergency situations. If GCS is going to allow travel for buildings to be open, employees to come in, or athletic practices to take place, this is only with the approval of the Superintendent of Schools. To assist GCS maintenance workers, facilities will not be opened before 12:00 p.m. allowing crews to clear roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks. All activities must be done by 5:30 p.m. or sunset (whichever comes first).

**Approval will only be granted by the Superintendent after the schools have been closed for at least one day. If there is an extenuating circumstance that would waive the one-day rule, then it must be approved by the Superintendent.

Travel Status Yellow (Advisory):
Travel Advisory means that routine travel may be restricted and caution should be used while traveling. Practices will be at the discretion of the building principals.

Parking at buildings during winter weather travel status should be limited to the following locations if all parking lots have not been cleared or if precipitation is continuing. Big Blue Ave. and Lehman Way are the first roadways to be cleared before parking lots are addressed. The following parking lots and sidewalk areas will be cleared first by the maintenance department.

High School – Front parking lot outside entrance #1
Jr. High - Circle drive parking area and Teachers parking lot on Central Ave.
Elementary – Back parking lot nearest exits 7 through 14