As early as 2:30 a.m. on the morning of a snowfall or ice storm district administrators initiate "storm watch" contacts to drive throughout the district to test the roads, as well as Rockwood Transportation personnel. Even if the roads are initially satisfactory, the drivers may make several trips if snow continues to fall, or if the weather continues to deteriorate.

By 5 a.m., the superintendent of schools must make a decision about school cancellations so bus drivers and media can be notified. Prior to that time, the drivers keep in contact and give regular updates regarding road conditions. The superintendent considers several factors in making the final decision: weather predictions, highway department preparedness, time of day, windchill factor, as well as the driver's reports.

When a school closing, or early school dismissal due to inclement weather, is determined, our superintendent will use ParentSquare to send a voice message and text message to Rockwood parents and secondary students informing them of the decision to cancel classes.

The successful delivery of information is dependent upon accurate contact information for each student. If your contact information changes, please notify the school registrar immediately.

If the decision is made the night before, the ParentSquare messages will go out as informational messages to primary and secondary mobile phone numbers provided for each student, as well as to cell numbers provided for secondary students..

If the decision to close school is made after 6 a.m. the morning of the cancellation, the ParentSquare messages will go out as emergency messages to all phone numbers listed for each student.

In addition, parents and secondary students who have downloaded the Rockwood ParentSquare app will receive a push notification. They can also find accurate information about district school closings on the Rockwood website and Rockwood's social media sites — Facebook (Rockwood.School.District),Twitter (@RockwoodSchools) and Instagram (@RockwoodSchoolDistrict) —as well as on the following radio and television stations:

We do not intend to have virtual learning days this year if we have to call school due to inclement weather.

If severe weather strikes while students are in school, a decision to close school for the remainder of the day may be made. Activating the transportation system due to inclement weather takes time. School principals, the transportation department and Missouri Central bus services will be contacted immediately. Transporting students safely will require carefully planned dismissal procedures.

• Elementary students who walk or ride buses will be dismissed as per the instructions provided by parents for an early inclement dismissal situation.

• Students will be released as soon as individual Rockwood and Missouri Central buses are available at their school.

• Buses will load students according to the normal dismissal order.

• All students picked up by parents may leave school as soon as parents arrive.

Typically, activities will be canceled when school has been closed all day or closed early. Please check the district website, or your school's website, for specific information.

• Parents of elementary school children need to make sure that the instructions on your emergency dismissal form are current.
• Contact your childcare facility, if necessary, to find out what their procedures are for inclement weather.
• Review the information you have listed as emergency contacts and make sure that the numbers are updated, either through Infinite Campus or with your building registrar.
• Make plans ahead of time and communicate them with your children so they understand what to expect during an early school dismissal due to inclement weather.
• Understand that school closings are for the safety of children throughout the district. While the condition of your neighborhood streets may be fine, other areas of the district may be experiencing harsher weather.

In the event of deteriorating weather conditions, the district will make the announcement to cancel CCL classes and keep students in their home school for the day.

If weather conditions deteriorate quickly, and CCL classes have not been cancelled for the day, students will be picked up by buses at the CCL and delivered to the home schools so they can be taken home on regular routes.