Weather/Emergency Closing Information

The Wisconsin winter season is upon us. Our district staff understands that our decision to open or close schools in bad weather has a big effect on families. We also understand that our students are better served - both academically and socially - by being in school. But as always, our top priority is the safety of our students. When the weather is bad, the Green Lake School District follows a set of guidelines for deciding if school will be open or closed.

We’d like to review these guidelines with you.

Process for deciding when schools are open or closed due to snow and/or ice:

· District staff members review the weather conditions (advisories, watches and warnings) beginning early in the morning.

· They consult with the bus company staff to see if buses will be able to travel safely to and from school. This is the primary factor in making our decision.

· They consult with local police and county sheriff's departments to determine road conditions, custodial staff to see if all buildings are accessible for students and staff, and local superintendents.

· The Superintendent or designee will make the final decision based on the recommendations from the bus company, local law enforcement, and the director of building facilities.

When schools are closed because of extreme cold:

• Our policy is to close school if the National Weather Service issues a wind chill warning for Green Lake County for the time just before the school day begins. Actual temperatures of -25 and below and wind chill temperatures of -35 and below are considered extreme and used as a guideline. Schools will not necessarily be closed if there is a wind chill advisory for the county.

When is the decision made?

• The Superintendent or designee must make the decision by 6:00 am or earlier so he/she can notify radio and TV stations and post the notification on the district’s website. In some instances, the decision may take longer. If the weather is questionable, please continue to check the website.

• The District must make one decision that is the best for all students of the district. This decision may not fit with your individual circumstances. Therefore, we encourage and strongly support you in making the decision that is best for your child. You are always the best judge of your child's health and safety.

How you can find out if schools are closed:

• On days when the weather is bad, the school website https://www.glsd.k12.wi.us and school Facebook page will post a notification.

• Local television stations for information about school closings: WFRV-5, WGBA-26, WLUK-11, WBAY-2, and WISC-TV are contacted.

• Local radio stations: WISS/WRPN

• The Green Lake School District will send a JMC announcement through text, e-mail and telephone. Please keep your information current with the office staff.

Signing up for text alerts:

• Visit https://fox11online.com/weather/closings-sign-up

• Enter your information

• Click the “Schools” link and choose “Green Lake”

• Scroll to hit “Submit”

When schools are closed, all activities are canceled.

When the Green Lake School District is closed for the day, it also means that all practices and activities for that day are canceled. This includes all after school programs and the fitness center.

Late Start:

In some instances, school may be delayed by 2 hours in order for roads to be properly cleared. This will happen when the weather is predicted to improve for the day. 

Early Release:

• When weather is predicted to worsen, it is best to dismiss students after lunch (12:45-1:00 PM). A decision will be made by 10:30-11:00 AM so that parents can be notified and buses ready.

• Dismissal is confirmed after consultation with local police and county sheriff’s departments to determine road conditions.

• The school district will operate under the assumption that students in grades 5 and above are able to supervise themselves at home and supervise their younger brothers and sisters when school is dismissed early, and a parent is not at home. Parents who are not at home during the day due to work schedules are encouraged to discuss with their children the procedures they should follow if they will be at home without adult supervision due to an early school dismissal.

• The school district will contact the parents of students in grades 4K-4 who do not have an older sibling to inform them of the emergency situations which require an early school dismissal.

Other reasons for school to close:

• Fog

• Flooding

• Tornado

• Building issues- heat, electricity, water outages

We try to keep schools open.

When schools close, many families have issues with child care. As a result, we try to keep schools open if it's safe to do so. However, parents can always make the decision to keep their child(ren) at home in bad weather.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We appreciate your understanding of the difficulties in making this decision, and your support in helping your child get to school safely on winter days.