Overview

Any time there is a concern for an inclement weather event, we use the following protocol to help drive the decision-making process to either delay the start of school or cancel school. The concern for student and staff safety always serves as the main driver when these decisions are made, and we always strive to err on the side of caution. Each weather incident is unique, and each will demand unique considerations.

We know that when we delay the start of school or cancel the school day completely, it has a significant impact on families. We also want to ensure that we are making decisions that minimize any negative impact on student learning. In other words, when there is no safety concern in getting to school, we want to make sure that our students are at school. This is the balance we constantly weigh when making school delay or school closure decisions.

Note: Any OFFICIAL communication will only be distributed via the normal Leander ISD communications methods (LISD Alerts, Remind messages (phone calls, text messages, or email depending on user settings), district websites, original posts on Leander ISD Facebook and Twitter). Please beware of copies or imitations.

FAQ

How do we make our decision?

We make our decision to open or close schools in bad weather based on careful analysis of as many relevant factors as we can gather, including:

  • Numerous consultations with our local emergency management consortia and weather experts. In the days leading up to a possible weather incident, we monitor local forecasts, both in the evening before the incident and in the early morning hours. We will talk to both Williamson County and Travis County, as we are split between the two.
  • Information on road conditions from transportation staff and local law enforcement officials. We must give careful consideration to the most dangerous roads in the district. Even if the street in front of your house looks clear, travel elsewhere in the district may be dangerous. In addition, we must consider the risk to our least experienced drivers, our high school students.
  • Amount of snow or ice accumulated and projected accumulations.We also consider whether or not precipitation is continuing.
  • Building conditions, such as whether there is any interruption in our buildings’ electricity and heat.
  • Parking lot conditions. We try to monitor the clearing and treating of parking lots and sidewalks.
  • Temperature and wind chill. Some of our students walk to and from school and some have to wait outside in the elements at their bus stop.
  • Weather predictions. We prefer not making our decision solely based on weather predictions, which are not always accurate, but sometimes it is unavoidable.
  • Consideration to what area school districts and universities are doing. While every district has its unique situations, we do stay in touch with other districts to help guide decision-making.

Who makes the decision?

The superintendent is responsible for the final decision, based on the above factors and recommendations from district staff, including the plant services and transportation departments.

When is the decision made?

We try to make the decision by 5:30 a.m. or earlier the day of the incident so we can notify local media and post the information on our website and start the automated texts, emails and phone calls by 6 a.m. If we believe that the forecasts won’t change during the overnight hours, we may make the decision to delay school or cancel school the night before. Our first buses leave the transportation center around 5:45 a.m., so we work diligently to make the decision as soon as possible. Finally, we know that waiting much later in the morning limits parents’ options when they are making childcare decisions.

How is the public notified?

We post the announcement on the district website, www.leanderisd.org, the district’s Alerts page and social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and an urgent Remind message, which initiates a text message, email and/or phone call to parents of registered LISD students and to staff. That’s one reason we always need up-to-date contact information.

How does LISD’s automated calling system work?

LISD uses Remind, the notification platform used to connect with families and staff through text, email and phone broadcasts. The district uses the contact information loaded into Home Access Center to populate profiles in Remind automatically.

During inclement weather, (such as delays or cancellations), a notification will be sent through Remind to the phone numbers of all guardians and all employees.

If I know bad weather is expected in our area, what should I do?

Because weather updates can happen rapidly and to avoid miscommunication, please check the LISD homepage for the latest accurate information. LISD campus sites are linked back to the district site.

How do I find out if my child’s after-school activity has been canceled?

For campus-related information, such as revised class/bell schedules, please check the specific campus website.

If school is delayed due to weather, will breakfast still be served?

If LISD starts school later in the day due to bad weather, no breakfast meals will be offered for that day.