From: Tiffany Hall
As winter approaches, this is our annual reminder to review and prepare Emergency Learning Plans in the event of a major snowstorm, windstorm, or other unexpected event that causes a sudden school closure.
While our goal is always to keep schools open—or, when possible, to delay the start of the school day rather than close entirely—being ready to pivot quickly ensures that student learning continues without interruption. Having these plans in place allows us to maintain quality at-home learning and avoid extending the school year, as required by state law when closures occur.
Overall Guidance
Each school’s plan will look a little different depending on student access to technology, home circumstances, and local procedures. The key is flexibility.
- Use online or paper-based assignments as appropriate for your content area and grade level.
- Provide clear directions and expectations for a day’s work:
- Elementary: 3–4 hours total learning time
- Secondary: 45–60 minutes per block class
- Choose activities that focus on familiar content or independent learning tasks.
- Include an exit ticket or assignment that can be submitted to validate student participation for attendance purposes.
Students with Disabilities
For students with IEPs or 504 Plans, please ensure that emergency lessons consider each student’s individual goals, accommodations, and accessibility needs so that all learners can participate meaningfully from home.
Elementary Schools
The district has prepared up to five (5) days of Emergency Learning Plans in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Music/Fine Arts, and PE for grades K–6, available in the District Document Center.
You may:
- Upload these lessons into your Canvas course if students have home computer access, or
- Print and send home one or two days’ worth of lessons in advance, in case of an unexpected closure.
Please review all lessons before distributing to ensure alignment with your classroom instruction. If you have already developed your own emergency plans—wonderful! The district resources are simply available to support your preparation.
Secondary Schools
If your Canvas courses are current and students regularly access them, you are already in great shape. Having assignments and readings available online allows learning to continue seamlessly during closures.
For courses that don’t easily transition online, consider offline options, such as:
- Logging personal activities related to your course
- Reviewing safety procedures or study materials for certifications
- Completing reflection or practice assignments
Thank you for taking the time to plan ahead on top of everything else you do every day. Your preparation ensures that learning continues smoothly, no matter what challenges the season brings.
We appreciate your flexibility, creativity, and commitment to our students.
Rationale:
Having emergency lessons prepared in advance allows schools to continue instruction on days when weather or other emergencies require building closures. Providing structured at-home learning ensures that students remain engaged in meaningful educational activities, even when they cannot attend in person.
By implementing these emergency learning days, the district can count the day toward the state-required minimum number of instructional days, which prevents the need to extend the school year to make up for lost time. This approach maintains instructional continuity and compliance with state law while offering flexibility to families and staff during unexpected events.
Expectations for Implementation:
- Communication
- Principals are responsible to communicate this information to their teachers and ensure that classrooms are prepared for an emergency closure.
Keywords: snow day, emergency closure, lesson plans
