Closing/Delay/Dismissal Information
Our KCS weather codes can be found on our website homepage and are linked HERE.
The decision to close or delay school will be made as early as possible. Announcements will be made on the District webpage (https://kcs.kana.k12.wv.us/), and District social media (https://www.facebook.com/KCSWV/; http://twitter.com/KCBOE). Announcements will also be made on local radio and TV stations.
School Messenger Communicate
Kanawha County Schools will be using our School Messenger Communicate automated calling system to call staff and parents if school will be delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions. When possible, calls are sent the evening before. If not, parents are notified as early as possible the morning of a delay or cancellation. School Messenger Communicate delivers messages via phone and e-mail.
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If you are a parent and believe that your contact information is incorrect in School Messenger Communicate, please talk to your school secretary to make sure that it is correct in WVEIS.
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If you are an employee and want to change your contact information in School Messenger Communicate, please contact KCS HR’s Diane Tate ([email protected]) to make sure that your information is corrected everywhere.
TEXT MESSAGES: Information from the State Department of Education
**Note: if you’ve received text messages related to delays or closings, it was likely through the WV Department of Education Snow Day resource. According to a note on the linked page: “due to changing technology, the text message feature associated with school closings is no longer available. Individuals who previously signed up to receive text messages will no longer receive text message alerts moving forward.” If you’re interested in continuing messages from WV Snow Day, you will need to subscribe to their email alerts or follow them on Twitter @WVSnowDay.
Parents or guardians may always exercise their right to keep students home or pick them up early during stormy conditions.
The KCS website, Facebook, and Twitter are the quickest sources of information for a school closing or delay. If school is not closed for the day, no announcements will be made and students should report at the normal time.
Questions & Answers
How does KCS decide whether or not to close or delay school?
When bad weather is predicted, the district has personnel designated to drive through all areas during the evening and/or early morning hours to determine if the roads are passable. Factors for consideration in closing schools include patches of ice on major roadways and bridges, current conditions on roads, weather predictions for later in the day, etc. With 900+ square miles of land in the Kanawha County, it is likely that certain areas may experience ice or snow, but the majority of the district is not experiencing dangerous conditions. Decisions are made by a team of people scanning conditions across the district and taking into account the safety of each and every student.
What time should my child report to his/her bus stop or school during a two-hour delay?
The morning schedule is moved forward two hours during a two-hour delay. If your child is normally picked up by the bus at 7:05 a.m., they will be picked up at 9:05 a.m. If school usually begins at 8 a.m., it will begin at 10 a.m.
Does PreK operate on 2-hour early out days?
Yes. Because PreK is full day and PreK students can ride the school bus, PreK operates on a two-hour delay like everyone else.
Will students have to make up time missed during two hour delays?
Kanawha County schools have additional instructional time added to their days that can now be used to make up for missed instructional time. This “bankable” instructional time should allow for the district to not have to add on extra days at the end of the year. If additional days need to be added due to excessive missed instructional time, parents will be notified.
What if I have a scheduled training, activity, practice or performance on the day of a delay or cancellation?
Please contact the person that notified you of the event, the coach, the teacher or the leader to find out.
For employees: what if the school system is forced to close due to weather on a pay day?
In that case, staff members from KCS payroll will still operate a pick up station for those receiving paper checks. In order to retrieve a check, you will need to show ID matching what is on the paystub.