Inclement weather conditions may cause Springfield Public Schools to cancel school. In making that decision, the safety of the district's 24,000 students is the most important consideration. Here is some information that will help your family prepare for those days when school is cancelled due to winter weather.
Ways to find out if school is cancelled
AlertNow - The AlertNow system allows the district and individual schools to contact parents via phone with important announcements about emergencies or important school events. Parents will be notified of cancellations or early dismissals due to inclement weather, scheduled holidays or early release days among other important announcements. Please be sure you complete an AlertNow Student Information Sheet and return it to your child’s school. Notify your school’s office immediately if contact numbers change.
mySPS - Receive school cancellations among other information related to important school board decisions and district highlights with regular e-mail updates. The mySPS e-newsletter is distributed as necessary to ensure you receive information that is timely. To sign up for e-newsletters, go to the sign-up information page and enter your e-mail address.
Facebook - Cancellations will be posted on the social network Facebook as they occur. You can follow SPS on Facebook if you are already a member. If you are not a member, you may sign up for Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/.
Twitter - Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest information about what you find interesting. Weather related cancellations will also be posted on Twitter so that you may receive up to the minute updates on cancellations among other news. If you are already a Twitter member, you may follow SPS to receive updates. If you are not already a member, go to http://twitter.com/ and register.
School Closing Line - This phone line is designated for recorded messages announcing cancellations. You may call (417) 523-0110 to hear cancellation information.
Website - A message will be posted on the district website at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org.
Local news media - The local news media is contacted by distirct officials with cancellation information before 6 a.m. on days when weather may be an issue and school could be cancelled. You can watch any of the four local television affiliates, KY3, KSPR, KOLR, and KSFX or go to their websites for cancellation information. Another source is KTTS 94.7 FM radio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What factors influence the district's decision to cancel school?
Who makes the decision to cancel school due to bad weather?
When and how is the decision announced?
Why does SPS have school when other area schools dismiss due to the weather?
Why doesn’t SPS implement delayed start times on days when conditions are unfavorable in the morning but may improve before dismissal time?
When school is closed are all other scheduled activities ( ballgames, practices, programs, etc.) cancelled for the day?
If school is cancelled, when will the day be made up?
Are there alternative programs available to students when school is cancelled?
Why doesn't the district change its transportation policy during inclement weather?
What should you do if your bus is late?
If parents choose to keep their child home from school when school is not cancelled, how will this affect the child's attendance?
What factors influence the district's decision to cancel school?
We try to keep our schools open as scheduled as much as possible. However, there are times when weather conditions cause us to cancel school for the safety of our 24,000 students. We do not make that decision lightly because we understand cancelling school can create difficulties for families.
There are a number of things to consider when determining whether to have school during inclement weather. Some of those include the condition of area roads; school safety issues such as parking lots, sidewalks and roofs; bus fleet condition; and weather forecast for the remainder of the day.
Who makes the decision to cancel school due to bad weather?
A group comprised of individuals representing transportation, school police services and facilities evaluate relevant factors and make a recommendation to the superintendent about whether to close school.
When and how is the decision announced?
The district makes every effort to decide whether to cancel school by 5 a.m. so that parents can be alerted as soon as possible. The news media is notified immediately. Parents will be directly notified via an AlertNow telephone message by 6 a.m. Parents must be signed up to receive the AlertNow notification. If they did not complete the AlertNow Student Information Form at the beginning of the school year, they may obtain one online and return it to their child's school.
Cancellations are also announced through the district's web site and e-mail to individuals who have signed up for the district's E-Newsletter. Individuals may also call the School Closing Line at 523-0110.
Why does SPS have school when other area schools dismiss due to the weather?
Each school district must evaluate its own conditions. The number of rural roads, lack of street maintenance, etc., can make the safety of travel vary from one district to another even when they are in close geographic proximity.
Why doesn’t SPS implement delayed start times on days when conditions are unfavorable in the morning but may improve before dismissal time?
For many of our families, it is difficult to adjust work schedules or find child care for just a few hours in the morning. A delayed start can also make it difficult for working parents with students who are not eligible for bus transportation to get their children to school later than the routine start time.
When school is closed are all other scheduled activities ( ballgames, practices, programs, etc.) cancelled for the day?
On days when school is not in session there are no student-related activities in the school buildings, including programs such as PrimeTime and SPARC. However, some athletic activities may continue as scheduled depending on changing weather conditions, distance of travel, departure times and location. Activity cancellations are posted at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org as they are announced.
If school is cancelled, when will the day be made up?
SPS builds into its school calendar six make-up days. If more than six make-up days are necessary, a decision will be made in early spring about additional make-up days.
When inclement weather forces a school district to cancel school more than six days, there is a provision in state statute which exempts school districts from making up all of those days and caps at 10 the number of days that must be made up. According to statute, a school district must make up the first six days missed due to inclement weather then it is required to make up only alternating days missed until it reaches a total of 10 make-up days. For example, a school district that misses a total of 14 snow days would have to make up the first six days plus days 7, 9, 11 and 13. Days 8, 10, 12 and 14 would be forgiven.
Are there alternative programs available to students when school is cancelled?
Several community agencies offer snow-day activities for children when SPS is not in session. Two includeSpringfield-Greene County Park Board (891-1635), and Ozarks Regional YMCA.
Why doesn't the district change its transportation policy during inclement weather?
Offering transportation to students during inclement weather who normally do not qualify for transportation would be logistically difficult. The district does not have enough buses or drivers to transport more than the 6,500 students who qualify for transportation on a daily basis. The current bus fleet operates at capacity.
What should you do if your bus is late?
If your regular bus is 30 minutes late, students should return home and contact the district transportation department at 523-0500.
If parents choose to keep their child home from school when school is not cancelled, how will this affect the child's attendance?
Children who are kept out of school will be counted absent. The district does not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences. The only time a student is not counted absent is if they are out of school due to a school-sponsored activity.