The Pine Bush Central School District utilizes numerous contacts and sources of information before making the determination to delay schools, close schools, dismiss schools early, and/or cancel after-school activities and events.

Please know that safety is always our highest concern. The safety of our students and staff comes first, every single day. If we believe we can keep school open safely, that’s what we do.

However, the process to determine whether to keep schools open or to close, delay or release early, is exceptionally thorough. District officials are in consultation with town, county and transportation officials well in advance of a potential weather event, right up until the time we make our decision.

In making our decisions, we monitor information from the National Weather Service, Fleet Weather Tracking System, local news channels and the Weather Channel. Each storm behaves differently. We are in close contact with our town highway supervisors about road conditions and their schedules for road crews to prep for the expected conditions as well as plowing, salting and/or sanding during the event.

During bad weather, our bus company has four members of its staff traveling within the Pine Bush Central School District providing feedback on road conditions.

We are in contact with contiguous school districts as well.

Our Operations and Maintenance Department also weighs in on their progress and ability to have parking areas and walkways clear for staff and students.

Our district is large – encompassing seven towns in three counties. Some areas are at a higher elevation and experience more difficult weather conditions while much of the district may not. We must take into account the entire district when making these decisions. However, parents have the final say and can make the informed choice to keep their children home from school if they are not comfortable with the conditions in their area.

For school closings, based on all information we have gathered, the superintendent or the designee usually makes a determination by 5:30 a.m.

Once a decision is made, messages are sent out to parents using the SchoolMessenger system and a message is posted on our district website. Local radio and television stations are also notified. Through these communication avenues, parents and guardians then are able to plan accordingly for their children and their care.

Click here to sign up for the SchoolMessenger notification system.