River Forest Schools Send Weather Warning to Parents Ahead of Snowy Weekend

With around a foot of snow expected to fall this weekend, several suburban schools are reestablishing their closure policies in the event of a cancelation next Monday.

Ed Condon, the superintendent of River Forest's District 90 schools, sent out a letter to families Friday detailing the district's procedures when it comes to winter weather. The letter is copied below.

"Despite the recent wave of unseasonably warm weather, cold and snowy weather has finally arrived to Chicagoland. As such, it is important that we share how District 90 plans to communicate the need for potential school closings caused by inclement weather. The most critical factor in deciding to close or open school will always be student and staff safety. Please be assured that we will make every effort to balance the relative benefits and risks in a sensible manner.

Whenever possible, District 90 will endeavor to make and communicate a firm decision about school closings by around 8 p.m. the evening before. In the event that the weather situation is uncertain and a definitive decision cannot reasonably be made by this time, the District will communicate the possibility of a school closing, again around 8 p.m., with the reminder that additional information will be forthcoming. If conditions deteriorate significantly and closing school is necessary after this time, we will issue notification no later than 6:00 a.m. the next day. The intention of communicating the current status of the situation by 8 p.m. the night before is to allow families time to make advanced preparations, as necessary.

Families, faculty, staff, and the greater River Forest community will be informed of any decision via the School Messenger notification system. Information will also be placed on the District 90 website (home page and all school pages), Facebook, and sent to the Emergency Closing Center, which communicates school closings to the area’s television and radio stations.

Please note that the Superintendents from Oak Park and River Forest High School (D200), Oak Park Elementary School District (D97) and District 90 confer when inclement weather threatens the area. Ideally, when conditions and circumstances allow, the three school districts prefer to implement the same school opening or closing decision. However, each school district must decide the best possible course for their respective communities. Since there are numerous elements that can account for different decisions (such as the provision or non-provision of bus services), there may be times when District 90 makes a different decision from D200 or D97.

I appreciate that school closures present significant complications for our students, staff, and families. During periods of inclement weather, families must always make the best decision for their students. If schools are open and families disagree that conditions are safe for student travel, student absences will be marked as ‘excused’ as long as absences are communicated to the school office.

Your understanding of the challenges involved in deciding whether to close schools for inclement weather conditions is appreciated."

Sincerely,

Ed Condon, Ph.D.
Superintendent

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