School Closures and Delays Information
In the event of a weather delay or closure, parents will be notified via the Blackboard Connect automated message system. We will also post the notification on our CCA’s website, Facebook and Instagram, and notify the news media.
When schools are closed
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Champions, our After-School childcare program is canceled.
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All activities including sports and activities that are scheduled in-person at CCA are canceled.
When schools are on a delayed start
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CCA’s start time is delayed 60 minutes and will begin at 9:00 a.m.
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Drop-off for students will begin at 8:20 am
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Dismissal times will be the same as usual for all grade levels
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Champions, our After-School child care program will operate on a normal schedule.
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We will monitor conditions throughout the day and make a decision about whether it is safe to hold after-school activities. We will communicate that decision as early as possible before the end of the school day.
Early Dismissal
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If serious storm conditions or other emergency situations develop during the day, CCSD will monitor the situation and advise CCA as soon as possible of a decision to dismiss school early. When this decision is made, this information will be sent to parents via the Blackboard Connect automated message system, posted on this website and sent to the media as soon as possible.
Late Dismissal
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In case of dangerous weather warnings or other dangerous conditions, CCA may hold students past their dismissal time for safety reasons. This information will be sent to parents via the Blackboard Connect automated message system, posted on this website as soon as possible.
Important
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Parents are urged to make contingency plans for their child(ren) in the event of an emergency. Arrangements should be made for the child(ren) to go to a neighbor's house, or to have access to the home with directions for contacting a parent.
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In no case will an elementary school child be released to a person without proper identification and clearance from the school office.
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We understand that some parents may make a different decision for their families. If you feel the weather is too severe to send your child to school, please call your school's attendance line and let them know your child will be staying home. The absence will be excused.
Deciding delayed starts and snow days
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Deciding whether to delay or close school when the weather gets bad, sets into motion a careful deliberative process that begins with the earliest predictions of bad weather.
The procedure for determining whether schools will start on time, be delayed or closed is as follows:-
CCSD receives ongoing weather forecasts from local meteorologists, AccuWeather and NOAA.
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If snow is forecast, the CCSD Superintendent, CCSD Assistant Superintendent of Facility Support and Transportation Department staff wake at 3 a.m., survey their immediate areas and begin driving the district in quadrants.
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Beginning at 3:30 a.m., area drivers report conditions to the CCSD Superintendent and CCSD Transportation Director.
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CCSD contacts neighboring districts to share information and recommendations.
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The forecast is reviewed again.
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Before 4:30 a.m, The CCSD Transportation Director and CCSD Facility Maintenance leaders share information and discuss potential recommendations with the CCSD Superintendent.
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The CCSD Superintendent reviews all available information and makes the final decision by 5:30 a.m. Once the decision is made, it cannot be changed, even if the weather forecast changes.
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If a delay or cancellation is to be implemented, families will be notified via the Blackboard Connect automated message system, typically by 5:30 a.m. and notifications are sent to local media agencies and posted on the CCA and CCSD websites and social media channels.
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In rare cases it is possible for the district to make a decision the evening before for a bad weather day. When that happens, families will be notified as early as possible.
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Because the Cherry Creek School District is 108 square miles, conditions may vary in different areas of the district, and even from neighborhood to neighborhood. What's more, decisions are based on predictions and conditions on the ground in the district before 5 a.m. We know that sometimes, extreme weather conditions arise or worsen as students, parents and community members are already commuting.
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We are committed to making the best possible decisions when it comes to closures and delays, and taking every measure to ensure the safety of our entire community. Our number-one priority is making sure that everyone is able to make it to school safely, and this goal steers every step of our process.
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CCA respects the process that CCSD uses and will follow CCSD’s decision to make school closure notifications.
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Last Modified on January 22, 2024