District 202 Schools will not be closed unless hazardous road or other emergency conditions (including utility problems – electricity or natural gas outages) necessitate a closing.

A decision to close will normally be made by 5:30 a.m., and will be based upon road conditions, weather reports, police reports and personal inspections of streets and campuses by District 202 personnel. When schools are to be closed, the media outlets listed in the box to the right will be notified between 5:30-6:30 a.m. In addition, all District 202 families and staff (except those who have asked to be removed from the call list) will also be notified through the Connect-ED recorded telephone message system, and a note will be posted on the District 202 web site (www.learningcommunity202.org), but please also continue to monitor the stations listed on the right. Parents are asked to not contact the District Office or school officials until after 7:30 a.m. Absence Because of Adverse Weather Conditions If the schools are open but parents believe that their child's normal route to school is unsafe, parents should keep their child at home. All principals are instructed that students shall be given an "excused absence" if kept home because either transportation was unavailable or, in the judgment of the parents, the walk was not safe. Parents should explain this in a note to the principal following the student's return to school, and should then contact the school to see that the child makes up work missed. Parents of high school students should call the attendance office rather than send a written note.

AM Radio WGN-AM 720 WBBM-AM 780 WJOL-AM 1340 FM Radio WERV-FM 95.9 (95.9 The River) WSSR-FM 96.7 WCCQ-FM 98.3 WRXQ-FM 100.7 Television WBBM-TV (CBS 2) WMAQ-TV (NBC 5) WLS-TV (ABC 7) WGN-TV (Channel 9) WFLD-TV (Fox 32) CLTV Internet www.emergencyclosings.com www.learningcommunity202.org

Transportation
District 202 makes every effort to provide safe transportation for students. If road conditions prohibit our school bus drivers from safely navigating their routes, school will be cancelled. If District 202 determines that it is unsafe to transport District 202 students to school because of bad weather, we will also not transport students who attend school outside of District 202, even if those outside placement schools are open. At times, our buses will be able to operate safely but our drivers will need to adjust their schedules due to the changing road conditions. When schools are open during adverse weather conditions, parents are asked to personally supervise the safe loading of children. In some cases, bus departure from school may begin earlier than usual so that the last riders can return home as close to the normal time as possible. Individuals with questions are encouraged to call their school principal (see chart below) or the District 202 Transportation Office (815-436-7800).

Click here for a list of phone numbers.

Procedures for Early Dismissal
School will not normally be dismissed early. Early dismissal produces complications for parents who may be away from their homes. When weather or emergency conditions dictate an early closing, however, these procedures will be followed:

1. A Connect-ED message will be distributed to the affected community.
2. The radio stations listed above will be notified.
3. Walking students should have notes from home on file in the school office indicating a neighbor's home to which they can go if their own parents are not at home.
4. Unless other written arrangements are on file in the principal's office, bus students will be transported home.
5. Schools will remain open at least 30 minutes after the last child has left to allow personnel to respond to any unusual circumstances.
6. If a complete bus route becomes impossible, the bus will return to school, and parents will be consulted concerning arrangements for transportation and/or lodging. Parents should also make sure that they have given building secretaries up-to-date information on where they can be reached, as well as the names of friends who are able to respond if called.

Evening Extracurricular Activities When Schools are Closed
A decision will be made concerning extracurricular activities by 2 p.m. of the day that school is closed. Parents and students are advised to listen to one of the Joliet area radio stations mentioned above for information.

Cooperation
We all need to work together to ensure children are dressed appropriately for cold weather and that child safety is our first consideration. During the winter, some District 202 custodial and maintenance personnel work around the clock to keep the buildings open. Bus drivers work an extended schedule to provide transportation over roads that at times are less than ideal. Parents suffer inconveniences when transportation is interrupted or when weather conditions are adverse. We will continue to work to make sure that lines of communication are kept open to our students and to our parents in all situations.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

John R. Harper
Superintendent