As we approach the winter months, we wanted to remind families about what goes into deciding whether to cancel school due to snow or icy conditions. Our preference is always to have school in session, but the decision is never easy and is never made lightly.
The safety of students, especially young drivers, and staff members who need to travel to school is our top priority. We also carefully consider the capabilities of our school buses. These large, heavy, rear-wheel-drive vehicles handle slippery roads differently than personal vehicles, and many roads in our district, including unpaved back roads, may not be fully treated even when main roads are cleared.
A team of administrators works together to make the best decision possible. Our Director of Transportation and Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations start their day very early, around 4:00 a.m., to assess road conditions and determine whether travel is safe. Their findings are reported to the Superintendent, who is also in communication with superintendents from neighboring districts to understand road conditions in northern Oakland County.
If the roads are deemed too hazardous, the Superintendent communicates immediately with the Communications Director to notify families and staff. In some cases, the decision to cancel school is made the night before, especially if the forecast looks severe. Often, however, the decision must be made the morning of the event. Every effort is made to communicate the decision by 5:30 a.m., though rapidly changing conditions can affect this timing.
School closings are shared through multiple channels:
Posted on the district website: oxfordschools.org
Email, voice message, and text message sent to families and staff
Broadcast on local TV and radio: Fox 2, Local 4, ABC 7, WWJ 950, and WJR 760
Please note that families who have opted out of communications or have not completed the Annual Information Update may not receive notifications from the district.
Every snow day decision is made with safety in mind. We understand that conditions can vary across our community, and parents always have the option to keep their child home or drive them to school if they feel it’s safest.
We appreciate your understanding as we work to keep all students and staff safe while keeping learning on track whenever possible.