NEWCASTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS / From the desk of Dr. Cathy Walker
Dear Racer Families,
The season for winter weather is upon us and there may be times when a virtual day or snow day may be warranted. I want to share how our district approaches decisions about closing schools and how we will keep families informed.
When severe weather is expected, district leaders begin reviewing conditions as early as possible. Our goal is always to notify families by 6 a.m. if a closure or schedule change is necessary for that day. Every situation is different, so each decision is made individually with student and staff safety as our top priority.
Several factors are considered during this process, including: Transportation safety: Whether buses can travel safely on neighborhood and main roads.
Building operations: The status of critical services such as heat, electricity, water, internet access, and meal service.
Staffing needs: Whether we can safely and adequately staff our schools for the day.
To ensure families receive timely information, we communicate through multiple channels:
• Infinite Campus notifications
• District social media page on Facebook
• Local news outlets (Channels 4, 5, 9, and 25) State law requires Oklahoma students to complete 1,086 instructional hours each year. Our district calendar does not currently have “snow days” built in as additional days. If we are able to use virtual days for weather related incidents, we will consider this as an option.
If the decision is made to not use a virtual day as an option and additional time is needed to be made up, we will revise the school calendar during the final weeks of school to meet state requirements. Families will be notified promptly if any changes become necessary.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work to make the safest decisions for our students, staff, and community. Thank you for partnering with us to keep everyone safe during the winter season.
Racer Proud,
Dr. Cathy Walker
NPS Superintendent of Schools
