Weather Guidelines

At its November 17 meeting, the FHSD Board of Education approved a revised 2022-23 school year calendar that reflects the snow day plan for this year:

• The first four snow days are built into the regular school calendar and do not need to be added to the end of the year. This means the District can experience up to four snow days and keep the last day of school as Friday, May 26, just before Memorial Day.
   
• Snow days 5-10, if we have that many, will be added to the end of the calendar, beginning May 30 and continuing as needed through June 6. 

These changes were recommended to the Board after considering feedback from a community survey with more than 5,400 responses and input from a snow day committee composed of parents and staff members. Thanks to all who participated!

View the District Calendar

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t students have to make up all snow days this year?
Missouri requires public school students to attend school for a minimum of 1,044 hours per school year. Because our current calendar exceeds the state’s required instructional hours, we have the ability to forgive some snow days versus tacking all of them on the end of the year.

Will high school seniors have to make up all snow days due to their shortened calendar?
Yes. High school seniors follow a modified calendar and attend school for the minimum hours required by DESE. Their last scheduled school day is May 19, 2023. Snow days #1-7 would be added to the end of their calendar.

What about AMI days?
School districts in the state of Missouri are authorized to use up to 36 hours of AMI, or Alternative Methods of Instruction, each school year in exceptional or emergency circumstances such as inclement weather closures. AMI (remote learning days) will not be utilized in the 2022-23 school year, but may be an option in the future. 
 

It is the District’s policy that during cold weather, the decision for outside recess will be based on weather; factors such as wind chill, snow, rain, cloud cover, wind, etc. will determine whether or not it will be beneficial for children to go outside.

Cold Weather

The District follows these procedures for cold temperatures and/or wind chill advisory:

Extremely cold weather can be very dangerous. Parents and guardians should be certain that their children are appropriately clothed with mittens, hats, coats, etc., so they can be comfortable both inside and outside. Most days your student is going outside for some period of time either at recess or traveling to/from school.

The decision to close schools due to inclement weather or extreme temperatures will be based on a combination of temperature, weather conditions, and condition of District roads. The District makes every attempt to reach a decision regarding the closing of school by 5:00 AM. However, as I am sure you are aware, many times the weather conditions change rapidly in the early morning hours that could cause a decision to be made at a later time.

Snow Closure Procedures

• Letter from Dr. Roumpos
• Snow Day Schedule - Preschool and Vacation Station
• FHSD Inclement Weather Dismissal Times

From time to time, the Francis Howell School District may need to cancel school due to inclement weather. If the entire District is closed (including the Administration Building), preschool and Vacation Station will also be closed. If schools are closed, but the District Administration Building remains open, Vacation Station and full day preschool will operate at consolidated sites from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The consolidated sites for snow days are Becky-David and Central Elementary. Please use the table below to identify your child’s assigned snow day location. For additional information, please visit the Vacation Station page.

Heat Advisory Contact

• A decision to initiate heat dismissal procedures will be made and communicated before 2:00 pm.
   
• The nurse coordinator, Barbara Brommelhorst, will be the point of contact to the superintendent's office during the regular school term. The Safety Manager, Jason Griesenauer, will be the point of contact to the superintendent's office starting the first day after the regular school term through the start date of the Nurse Coordinator.
   
• The decision will be made by the superintendent or her designee and communicated by the Nurse Coordinator or Project/Safety Manager (maintaining same school term guidelines) to all buildings before the 2:00 pm deadline.

Heat Dismissal Procedures:

• All students will be given a drink of water before boarding the buses.
   
• The nurse coordinator or her designee will be in attendance at the bus garage monitoring the radio in the event that a heat emergency occurs on a bus route.
   
• Elementary - If a bus route is greater than 30 minutes, an adult will need to ride the bus with the students. The adult will monitor the students and if they have any student concerns, they will radio in to the bus garage. A spray bottle with water to "cool down" the student should be available for the adults riding the bus.

During severe weather, school personnel will be alert for dangerous conditions. Each school is equipped with radios for scanning the National Weather Service. FHSD also follows weather updates for the 63304 zip code (63385 for Daniel Boone) on the weather channel website. It is important to have a family plan in the event that a tornado warning is issued before school. All schools conduct tornado drills with students twice a year to ensure they are aware of procedures.

Tornado Alerts

• Tornado Watch - During a tornado watch, or other threatening weather, school officials are alert for developing and dangerous conditions, and actions deemed necessary for safety will be taken per building procedures. Phones will be in operation for emergency calls and for preparedness. Outside calls may not get through during a weather event.
• Tornado Warning - During a tornado warning, when sirens have sounded, seek shelter. Do not attempt to pick up students at schools. Disaster experts advise that automobiles are among the most dangerous places to be in a storm. If you are in the parent pickup line, please go to the school to seek shelter. Communication will be limited during the tornado due to the supervision of students and the limitations the weather may present.
• All Clear - FHSD consults the weather channel for the tornado warning expiration and all  clear notice. The siren silencing does not mean the warning has ended. After the all clear is given, students may be picked up by parents. Depending on the time of day the all-clear is announced, buses may run later than normal. Any special announcements to parents will be made via the SchoolMessenger notification system and District website.

Before School:

• Keep children at home or in safe location until tornado warning is lifted. We want to ensure students are not waiting at bus stops during this critical time.
• School buses will be held at the bus garage. The start of school day will be delayed until the tornado warning is lifted and the all clear is given.
• If buses are en route, they will proceed to the nearest school or other predetermined location, and remain there until the warning has been lifted and the all clear is given.

During School Hours:

• Students and staff will move to designated safe places and proceed into the precautionary duck and cover position.
• Please refrain from coming to school to pick up your child during a tornado warning.
• Parents who arrive at school during a warning will be asked to wait inside until the warning is lifted and personnel are available to assist parents.

At Dismissal

• Students will not be dismissed from school while the area is under a tornado warning.
• Students will be held at school and buses will not be allowed to transport students until the tornado warning has been lifted and the all clear is given.
• Please refrain from coming to school to pick up your child during a tornado warning.  
• Parents who arrive at school during a warning will be asked to wait inside until the warning is lifted and the all clear is given, and personnel are available to assist parents.

Buses en Route

• Buses will proceed to the nearest school or other predetermined location. 
• Drivers and students will remain at that location until the warning has been lifted and the all clear is given.

Communication Procedures

• Phones may not be answered during a tornado warning, as students and staff will be in the precautionary duck and cover position. To the extent possible, the outgoing message will be changed to let parents know we are under a tornado warning.
• Parents will be notified via the SchoolMessenger notification system of any changes in transportation, as well as school delays associated with a tornado warning.
• FHSD will share updates via the District website as soon as information becomes available.