How is the Decision Made? What are the Contributing Factors?
Closing or delaying school is a serious decision requiring careful consideration of several factors. While our focus is the safety of our students and employees, we also evaluate the impact a closure or delay can have on student instructional time. Realizing a change in a school schedule creates inconveniences and difficulties for many BCS families, it is our goal and commitment that we make the best and most informed decision as quickly as possible and communicate that information to our BCS family.
Many factors and resources are evaluated and consulted in making these decisions in a timely manner. Our decision process for a closure or delay is:
Gathering All the Information
Members of the transportation department, senior staff members and the Superintendent, monitor developing weather reports and receive regular updates from multiple weather sources as well as local and state radar. We communicate with neighboring school districts. Throughout the night, roads are driven to assess accumulation and condition. Sidewalks and parking lots are examined. Contact is made with county and state highway officials to discuss their plans to plow and treat road surfaces. This process begins no later than 4 am, unless the decision to close can be made the night before.
Decision
After reviewing weather reports and shared information, the Superintendent makes the determination if roads, parking lots and sidewalks can be plowed and treated in time to safely open schools and transport students, or if a delay will be necessary.
Communications
Once the Superintendent makes the decision, the Communications Department is notified. Staff members begin the process of informing parents and employees by using numerous media sources, social media and websites. It is our goal to communicate this information by 5:30 am.
It is important to understand that the decision isn’t always ideal for every area of our large county. Weather and road conditions may vary from one end of the county to another, and often conditions change quickly. You should know that careful, deliberate consideration was given to making the best decision for the safety of our student population and employees. Most importantly, the decision is made with student and employee safety as the top priority.
(This information is shared with our school community each November.)
Does your family have a plan?
It is most important that every family have a backup plan for children in case of early closings or delayed openings if no one is home at the time the student leaves or returns from school. When school is delayed, students should not arrive at the school earlier than the announced opening time since school staff may also be arriving late. When school is dismissed early, it is the parent's responsibility to inform children where they should go upon dismissal.
Do you know where to get your information?
During inclement weather, school delays, closings and cancellations are communicated through local media outlets and by official BCS social media accounts. There are numerous ways to be informed regarding the status of Berkeley County Schools. Please take a moment to review your options. Do not call your child’s school or the Board of Education Office as these lines must be kept free for emergency communications and for administrative use. As we begin to experience early dismissals, delays and closings, please monitor more than one media source for the status of Berkeley County Schools. No one source is foolproof. Most media sources post weather‐related information on their websites.
NTouch Text and Email Notifications
Individuals who are listed as a primary or secondary guardian are signed up to receive notifications through the NTouch system. If you need to update your information please fill out an Annual Emergency Information Update. Individuals who are not listed as a primary or secondary guardian can sign up to receive NTouch text messages and emails by signing up for the NTouch Community List.
BCS App
Download the BCS App for Android or Apple and enable push notifications.
Official BCS Social Media Accounts
· Facebook: BerkeleyCountySchools
· Instagram: BerkCoSchoolsWV
· Twitter: BerkCoSchoolsWV
· LinkedIn: Berkeley County Schools WV
· YouTube: Berkeley County Schools, WV
Monitor Local TV & Radio Stations
· ABC 7
· DC News Now
· WUSA 9, Washington, DC
· NBC Washington 4
· Fox 5 DC
· WDVM 25, Hagerstown, MD
· WRNR
· WEPM/IWKMZ/WLTF
· WVPR
Sign Up for WVDE Closing, Delay, and Early Dismissal Notifications
The West Virginia Department of Education provides closing, delay and early dismissal notifications via email. If you wish to subscribe or manage your message settings through the WVDE system, please visit: https://wvde.state.wv.us/closings.