Dear D105 Families,

I hope you had a great weekend. I did not expect to be talking about inclement weather this early in the season. However, with the first snowfall of the season, it is already time to communicate details on how we prepare for making inclement weather decisions.

Calling a remote learning day or canceling school for a traditional snow day is always a last resort.  It is our intention to have students learning in-person unless the weather makes it unsafe to do so. The decision to either cancel school for a traditional snow/weather day or use a remote learning day will be made at the time it is deemed unsafe to come to school. My goal is to make this decision by 9:00 p.m. the evening prior to canceling school or moving to remote learning. However, due to the timing of a significant weather related event, it might be necessary to wait until early morning. 

We seek to make decisions that are safe and educationally sound. Several factors considered when making this decision are:

• safety and well-being of students and staff

• availability of power, internet and overall operable condition of our buildings

• predictability of the weather

• timing of the weather events including time for staff to plan meaningful lessons and preparedness for students to learn remotely (if remote day is called)

• severity of the weather (extreme cold, excessive snow, flooding, etc.)

• ability of buses and cars to travel safely

If a traditional snow/inclement weather day is called, our first make-up day would be Friday, May 29, 2026. 

If a remote learning day is implemented this winter, we will most likely utilize a late start schedule (9:15 for elementary and 9:00 for Gurrie). This allows teachers to adjust lesson plans to best support a remote learning environment. More information on preparations for a potential remote learning day this winter will be shared soon.

In some cases, due to transportation or other needs, we might call for a late start to in-person learning. If this is the case, the timing of bus routes and the start of the school day will be communicated. 

Making the Decision
When determining if conditions warrant the cancellation of school or the need to implement our remote learning plan, I work in collaboration with:

• Board of Education

• District staff

• Other area superintendents, local village departments

• Bus service provider 

Since we have many families with students also enrolled in LTHS, we seek to be consistent to create the least amount of family disruption.  This may not always occur, but please be assured it is a priority in our deliberations.
 
When in-person school is canceled, all after-school activities, student events, athletic events and practices, and field trips will be canceled unless specifically announced by the school principal.

Notification About Closure
In the event of a school closing or other emergency, parents can expect to receive an automated phone call, email, and/or text via ParentSquare.  Emergency closing information is also available on:

• The District and school websites

• The District’s social media pages

• The Emergency Closings Center:  https://www.emergencyclosingcenter.com

Brian J. Ganan