Dear Reynoldsburg City Schools Staff and Families,
We are fast approaching the time of year when snow, ice, and extreme cold may disrupt our school schedule. We wanted to share information about what factors determine a “calamity day,” when school is canceled or delayed. We also wanted to share the various ways you will be notified of school closures.
What is a Calamity Day?
A calamity day is a school closure determined by the Superintendent for inclement weather or other unavoidable event. A calamity day is considered a non-instructional day. RCS’s Central Office will remain open during calamity days unless otherwise noted.
Monitoring Weather Conditions:
We closely monitor the weather forecast for snow and extremely cold temperatures throughout the winter months. District staff also maintains communication with the local road crews and police and drive neighborhoods.
When assessing the safety of the morning commute, our focus is on school transportation. We consider factors such as the temperatures and wind chills, which may cause a frost-bite risk for children waiting 15-30 minutes at school bus stops (generally about -15 to -20 degrees wind chill).
Closures vs. Delays
Whenever possible, the decision to close or delay school will be made the previous evening. However, announcements may be made as late as 5:45 a.m., depending on a variety of factors.
When Reynoldsburg City Schools CLOSE:
All evening activities in the elementary and middle school buildings are canceled.
High school evening activities will be determined by District personnel based on relevant information.
Preschool is canceled.
Transportation to Eastland-Fairfield Career Center is not provided.
Community groups scheduled to use school facilities (e.g., Park and Rec, Scouts, etc.) will have their events canceled.
When the Reynoldsburg City Schools DELAY:
Communication Tools
When the decision to declare a calamity day is made, we use multiple methods to communicate. As technology is not always fool-proof, we rely on several messaging channels to alert the community of any schedule changes. Those channels include:
Notifying local television and radio stations
Posting on social media: Instagram (@ReynSchools) and Facebook (@reynschools)
Updating the website (www.reyn.org)
Sending emails, texts, and phone calls to families
If you are unsure if the correct contact information is in our system so you can be notified, please call your school building’s secretary. In addition, check your email spam folders for emails that do not go to your inbox.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tracy R. Reed
Superintendent
Reynoldsburg City Schools