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Delays & Closings

Emergency School Closings

When a decision is made to close Suffolk Public Schools because of weather conditions, or to close a single school for other reasons, detailed information will be provided to area TV stations. Additionally, announcements will be posted on the school division’s website and the school division’s television station (WSPS-Charter Cable Channel 6). A recorded message will be available after hours at 925-6750. Automated phone calls with a recorded message will begin calling the homes of students and staff. The numbers called are based on the contact information stored in the division’s database.

If an early closing of school becomes necessary, students need to know what to do and where to go when they get off the school bus. There may be times that school dismissal will be delayed beyond regular school hours due to extreme weather conditions or for other reasons. The same assortment of communication tools listed above will be used when possible.

Make-Up Days for 2011-2012

If a full day is missed then a full day shall be used to compensate for instructional time. The first two days missed will be covered by the extra instructional hours that are built into the school schedule. The third day missed may be made up on Saturday, at the Superintendent’s discretion. The fourth missed day will be made up on Presidents’ Day (Feb. 20, 2012). The fifth day missed will be made up on Memorial Day (May 28, 2012). The next three days missed will be made up on the Saturday immediately after the day missed. If two successive days are missed, the second Saturday make-up day should be two weeks after the first Saturday make-up day. If the missed day is a Friday, it will not be made up on the next day (Saturday), but the following Saturday. (For example, if the day missed is Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, it will not be made up on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. It will be made up on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012). If a ninth day is missed, it will be covered by extra instructional hours.

Delayed Opening

Suffolk Public Schools will consider opening schools on a one-hour or two-hour delay, due to inclement weather, hazardous conditions, power outages, or other emergency situations. Bus pick-ups for all students would begin either one hour or two hours later than normal pick-up times.

Elementary students should not arrive before 9:30 a.m. on a one-hour delay, and 10:30 a.m. on a two-hour delay. Secondary students should not arrive before 8:20 a.m. on a one-hour delay, and 9:20 a.m. on a two-hour delay. Staff will not be available to supervise early arrivals. “Delayed Opening” means that any before-school child care will also open under the same delay. For example, if SPS has a 2-hour delay, the before-school program will open at 8:30 a.m. instead of the usual 6:30 a.m. Breakfast would not be served on either delayed opening schedule. Lunch would be served. Dismissal time and after-school activities would remain the same unless otherwise noted.

Elementary schools offering YMCA childcare will follow this revised schedule:

  • On the mornings of school delays, the YMCA before-school program will open under the same delay. For example, if SPS has a 2 hour delay, buildings will open at 8:30 a.m. instead of 6:30 a.m. for the YMCA before school program.
  • If schools dismiss early, the YMCA after-school program will remain open until 6 p.m.
  • If schools are closed, there will be no YMCA childcare in those elementary schools.