Weather Delays, Cancellations, or Early Dismissals
The safety and well-being of students and staff is our top priority and the decision to close, delay the start, or release school early is no simple matter. Before deciding to modify the school day due to extreme weather conditions, the Superintendent consults with a variety of experts both inside and outside of the District. Our commitment is to keep students, families, and staff safe, and to keep the community informed of weather-related school closings, delays, and cancellations in as timely a manner as possible.
The District must make one decision that is appropriate for more than 4,400 students. We recognize that this decision may not always fit with individual circumstances. Therefore, we support parents/guardians in making the best decision for their families. Parents or guardians may choose to keep their children at home if they are concerned about weather conditions while school is in session. Please notify your student’s school and your absence will be recorded as excused.
Please note that we continually monitor the forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS) in order to make the best decision for students, staff, and families in a timely manner. The District utilizes information from the NWS for Ames and the City of Ames.
Announcements of District weather-related decisions are communicated through local media outlets (television, radio) and multiple District communication platforms. Notification will be sent directly to families by phone, text, and email through the District’s Blackboard Mass Notification system. To receive notification through the District’s Blackboard Mass Notification system, please ensure your email and phone contact information are accurate in Infinite Campus. Announcements are also posted on Ames CSD Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram social media accounts, the District website, and individual school websites.
Activity Considerations
The guidance below will apply to school activities (practices, competitions, or performances, or meetings) in situations of delay, release, or cancellation due to weather
- If the school day is delayed due to weather, morning activities will be canceled. Bagged breakfasts will be available.
- If school is released early due to weather, all evening activities will be postponed or canceled with the exception of HS varsity athletic practices may be held. The Activity Director will determine an appropriate ending time. Varsity student athlete participation is voluntary. All rentals for facility use will be canceled. ACPC will be canceled (if a decision can be made prior to 1:00 pm ). ACPC will contact parents impacted.
- If school is canceled due to weather, all activities, including varsity athletics, scheduled on the day of cancellation will be postponed/canceled. ACPC will work with maintenance and facilities to make a call by 6:00 am to determine if child care can be held at Fellows only. ACPC will contact impacted families. All other facility rentals will be canceled.
- If school is held normally, but evening weather brings into question holding an activity, activity sponsors will work with the building principal and/or Activities Director to determine a recommendation to be given to Associate Superintendent on the event status. Communication will be sent by the building administrator/designee.
Snow Day Guidance
Closing due to snow or hazardous driving conditions.
School will be canceled if heavy snow and/or icy conditions make it exceedingly hazardous or impossible for school buses to travel their routes and/or for employees and students to report to school safely. Decisions and notifications will be made by 5:40 a.m. on the morning of a cancellation. As a general practice, all activities are canceled unless otherwise noted.
School districts in Iowa are no longer allowed to utilize virtual learning days during inclement weather cancellations as the time does not count toward the required number of educational hours each year.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- All District schools and preschools
- Before and after school programs will be closed
- No meals will be served
- Field trips
- School events (elementary/middle school)
- Family engagement activities (i.e. conferences)
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- Meetings and activities in a school building or District facility hosted by an outside organization
Late Start Guidance
Delaying the start of school due to weather conditions that are expected to improve throughout the school day. Decisions and notifications regarding a late start will be made no later than 5:40 a.m. the morning impacted.**
When a late start is deemed necessary:
- Late start times may vary depending on the weather conditions however, we do try to stick to a two-hour delay.
- Grab and go breakfast will be available.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- Morning preschool will be canceled
- Before school programs will be canceled
** If conditions have worsened following the 5:40 a.m. notification timeline, the District will recheck conditions and make a notification no later than 8:00 a.m.
Early Dismissal Guidance
Releasing school early due to weather conditions that are expected to worsen throughout the school day.
When an early dismissal is deemed necessary:
- A decision is determined by 10:45 am for a two-hour early dismissal
- Early dismissal times may vary depending on the weather conditions
- Children normally transported on buses will be returned by bus according to the early dismissal schedule unless other arrangements have been previously made and communicated to the student’s school
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- After school programs will be closed
As a general practice, all after-school and evening activities are canceled unless otherwise noted.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- District-sponsored after-school programs and extra-curricular activities (elementary/middle school)
- Afternoon preschool
- Before and after school programs will be closed
- Field trips
- School events (elementary and middle school)
- Family engagement activities (i.e. conferences)
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- Meetings and activities in a school building or District facility hosted by an outside organization
Snow Day Guidance
Closing due to snow or hazardous driving conditions.
School will be canceled if heavy snow and/or icy conditions make it exceedingly hazardous or impossible for school buses to travel their routes and/or for employees and students to report to school safely. Decisions and notifications will be made by 5:40 a.m. on the morning of a cancellation. As a general practice, all activities are canceled unless otherwise noted.
School districts in Iowa are no longer allowed to utilize virtual learning days during inclement weather cancellations as the time does not count toward the required number of educational hours each year.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- All District schools and preschools
- Before and after school programs will be closed
- No meals will be served
- Field trips
- School events (elementary/middle school)
- Family engagement activities (i.e. conferences)
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- Meetings and activities in a school building or District facility hosted by an outside organization
Late Start Guidance
Delaying the start of school due to weather conditions that are expected to improve throughout the school day. Decisions and notifications regarding a late start will be made no later than 5:40 a.m. the morning impacted.**
When a late start is deemed necessary:
- Late start times may vary depending on the weather conditions however, we do try to stick to a two-hour delay.
- Grab and go breakfast will be available.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- Morning preschool will be canceled
- Before school programs will be canceled
** If conditions have worsened following the 5:40 a.m. notification timeline, the District will recheck conditions and make a notification no later than 8:00 a.m.
Early Dismissal Guidance
Releasing school early due to weather conditions that are expected to worsen throughout the school day.
When an early dismissal is deemed necessary:
- A decision is determined by 10:45 am for a two-hour early dismissal
- Early dismissal times may vary depending on the weather conditions
- Children normally transported on buses will be returned by bus according to the early dismissal schedule unless other arrangements have been previously made and communicated to the student’s school
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- After school programs will be closed
As a general practice, all after-school and evening activities are canceled unless otherwise noted.
Cancellations include (but are not limited to):
- District-sponsored after-school programs and extra-curricular activities (elementary/middle school)
- Afternoon preschool
- Before and after school programs will be closed
- Field trips
- School events (elementary and middle school)
- Family engagement activities (i.e. conferences)
- High school activity and athletic event cancellations are determined at the building level and communicated by the building administrator/designee
- Meetings and activities in a school building or District facility hosted by an outside organization
Make-up Days
If the number of weather-related cancellations requires days to be made up to complete the state-and Board-mandated number of instruction hours, we will add make-up dates to end of the District calendar and we will alert parents and guardians about the calendar change.