The South Park School District is providing this update to families and staff outlining our delay and closure procedures in the event of hazardous driving conditions or extreme cold. The determination of whether to delay school or close buildings will be made as early as possible. Early dismissals will be called only in the most extreme emergencies. 

When school is delayed or buildings are closed, the district will make an automated phone call and send an email notification through SchoolMessenger. Please understand that it can take at least a half hour before all automated phone calls are made. The success of the SchoolMessenger system in contacting families depends on accurate contact information in the district’s database. If your contact information has recently changed or you would like to change your primary phone number, please call your child’s school office. If you have not received any phone calls or emails from the district so far this school year, it is a good idea to contact your child’s school office as soon as possible so we can look into that issue.

In addition to the automated phone call and email, we will communicate delay and closure messages on our website, our Facebook page, our Instagram page and our X (formerly Twitter) page. Delay and closure information will also be available on KDKA, WPXI and WTAE. Please note, the district has no control over the speed at which the television news stations post or air delay/closing messages once the district submits them.

TWO-HOUR DELAYS

When the district announces a two-hour delay, all building drop-off times will be adjusted by exactly two hours, and buses will arrive at stops approximately two hours later than usual. Afternoon dismissals will begin at the normal times.

On two-hour delay days, high school students who attend Steel Center will depart the high school at 11:40 a.m. for Steel Center.

BUILDING CLOSURE

Should weather conditions necessitate a building closure, there are two possible options. The district’s announcement will outline whether:

CLOSURE OPTION 1: The district will transition to remote learning for all students on a two-hour delay schedule

-or-

CLOSURE OPTION 2: The district will cancel all classes with no remote instruction.

CLOSURE OPTION 1: REMOTE LEARNING ON TWO-HOUR DELAY SCHEDULE

In most instances when district buildings are closed due to inclement weather or another emergency situation, the district will utilize remote learning on a two-hour delay schedule. On a remote learning day, students will not report to school but will participate in synchronous (students and teachers are online at the same time, engaged in instruction and learning) or asynchronous (students complete assignments independently) learning. Teachers will communicate specific remote instruction procedures with their students/families via Canvas and/or email. These instructions will include whether that teacher’s class that day will be synchronous or asynchronous.

On remote learning days due to inclement weather or another emergency situation, remote learning will take place on the school’s two-hour delay schedule. This will allow our teachers and students to better prepare for the school day.

The two-hour delay schedule for each building is:
SPHS Two-Hour Delay Remote Learning Schedule