• School Messenger

  • School Closing Information

    2025-2026

     

    Dear Families of Clay Community Schools Students,

     In situations involving inclement weather or emergencies, Clay Community Schools may find it necessary to cancel, delay, or dismiss schools early. The safety of our students and staff is our utmost priority when determining school closures or delays due to weather conditions. We strongly advise families to establish contingency plans for childcare and transportation requirements in advance.

     For information regarding weather-related school schedules, please do not call the central administrative office or the schools to ask about delays or closings.  For your convenience, we utilize various communication channels, including our website (www.clay.k12.in.us), email and text notifications, emails to employees, notifications to local newspapers, radio and television stations, and updates on the CCS Twitter page (https://twitter.com/ClayCommSchools).

     Decisions regarding closures or delays will be made in the evening when feasible, allowing parents ample time to make necessary arrangements. In cases where weather conditions are uncertain, we will wait for the most recent morning forecast before deciding on any delays or closures.

    During inclement weather, the following scenarios may occur:

    • Full closure of schools for the entire day.
    • A two-hour delay in school start times:

    a. Morning buses will operate two hours later than usual.

    b. Breakfast services will continue with possible alterations to the menu.

    c. Morning preschool sessions will not be held.

    • Early dismissal may occur if weather conditions deteriorate during the day:

    a. Afternoon buses will depart early.

    b. Afternoon preschool classes will be canceled.

    c. Parents should stay updated to learn about the timing of early dismissal.

     

    Guidelines for calculating a two-hour delayed start time are as follows:

    • Add two hours to the regular school start time.
    • Add two hours to your regular bus pick-up time.
    • Many of our CCS employees will arrive two hours later than their standard morning schedule.
    • Schools will dismiss at the usual time unless otherwise announced.

    Parents and Guardians, please remember that if the school remains open, and you deem it unsafe for your child to travel based on local conditions, use your discretion regarding their safety and inform the school if your child will not attend.

    Snow Days & eLearning Days Reminder:

    We have been granted up to 3 Snow Days and up to 3 eLearning Days (total of 6 days).

    • A Snow Day means a traditional non-school day for students; teachers will engage in Professional Development.
    • An eLearning Day entails virtual classes via Chromebooks, with lessons and assignments accessible through CANVAS.

     Please note any additional school cancelations beyond the allocated 3 Snow Days and 3 eLearning Days will necessitate makeup instructional days.

    • If school closures exceed the 6 available days for snow and eLearning, makeup days will be scheduled, typically at the end of the school year in May.
    • One makeup day is built into the calendar—Great American’s Day—as our initial option for a makeup day.

     Extra-curricular Activities

    If school is canceled for the safety of the students because of inclement weather, i.e. hazardous road conditions, then all school activities including practices, scheduled contests, and any other activities shall also be canceled. If the school cancelation extends beyond one day, the Building Principal shall have the discretion to decide if practices, scheduled contests, and other activities will be allowed provided that no student is required to participate in such activities. Furthermore, there will be no penalty for any student who does not participate on a day school is canceled.

    If school is dismissed early for the safety of the students because of inclement weather, i.e. hazardous road conditions, then all school activities are also canceled including practices, contests, and other activities.

    Thank you for your attention to these procedures and considerations during weather-related situations.

     Sincerely,

    Dr. Timothy Rayle

    Superintendent