Weather Procedures at DPS
Dickinson Public Schools maintains close communication with officials of the US Weather Service, local government, and neighboring school districts to make decisions regarding inclement weather and other emergency situations that are in the best interest of the safety of our students, staff, and parents.
The decision to have or not have school due to inclement weather will be based on the safety of the students attending the district’s schools and on the best information available at the time the decision must be made. Parents may choose to pick up their children at school or not send them to school anytime they feel that the weather threatens their child’s safety.
In deciding whether children will be safe, the district looks at the following factors:
- Visibility and current/expected wind conditions
- Road conditions (current, anticipated, and the status of city and county road crews) for buses, families, and district staff that need to be on the roads
- Travel advisories issued by the city, county, and the North Dakota Department of Transportation
- The time precipitation starts and the current/expected amount
- Expected duration of the storm
- Alert level from the US National Weather Service
- Temperature and wind-chill
The decision to close school will be made and communicated as timely as possible. Closing our schools has a tremendous impact on our parents and community. We strive to make the decision if needed with enough time for parents to make arrangements for the supervision of their children. However, at times, a decision on the morning of a school day may need to be made to see what weather materializes overnight; the goal is to make the decision by 6:00 a.m. the day of school.
All storm announcements relating to Dickinson Public Schools will be reported to local television stations and communicated to parents and guardians via the automated phone, email, and text system based on the contact information supplied to the school office(s). Parents are encouraged to update their contact information with the school regularly to have up-to-date contact information. This can be done through PowerSchool or by calling the school office. School closure information will also be broadcast via local media and posted on our website and social media sites (Facebook and Instagram).
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Who Is Watching The Weather?
The superintendent and many other school administrators carefully watch weather conditions.
What Factors Are Considered When Making Weather-Related Decisions?
The decision to have or not have school due to inclement weather will be based on the safety of the students attending the district's schools and on the best information available at the time the decision must be made. Parents may choose to pick up their child at school or not send them to school anytime they feel that the weather is a threat to their child's safety.
In deciding whether children will be safe, the district looks at the following factors:
- Visibility and current/expected wind conditions
- Road conditions (current, anticipated, and the status of city and county road crews) for buses, families, and district staff that need to be on the roads
- Travel advisories issued by the city, county, and the North Dakota Department of Transportation (ND DOT)
- ND DOT maps do not always reflect the road conditions within Dickinson city limits.
- The time precipitation starts and the current/expected amount
- Expected duration of the storm
- Alert level from the National Weather Service
- Temperature and wind-chill
Where Does the District Get Its Information?
The superintendent makes every effort to remain completely informed, using contact with the National Weather Service, personal observation, telephone contact with individuals living in the rural areas of the district, law enforcement agencies, and city/county/state road maintenance personnel.
Who Makes The Decision To Close Schools?
The superintendent of DPS makes the decision based on the above factors and input from others.
How Is The Public Notified?
All storm announcements relating to Dickinson Public Schools will be reported to local television stations; communicated to parents and guardians by the automated messaging system (phone and/or email and text system); and posted to the school district's website (www.dickinson.k12.nd.us/). Please check more than one source, as on occasion, we are unable to make contact with all media sources due to their capacity to handle all incoming calls, or we may not have an accurate telephone number or email address for a family in the PowerSchool system.