Located behind Granger Elementary School
Mailing Address: 3880 Ridge Road, Medina, OH 44256
Phone Numbers: 330-239-1901, 330-686-1901, 330-278-2727

Contacts:

• Jim Reusch, Supervisor of Operations, ext. 1232:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Debbie Parker, Secretary, ext. 1219:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Amy Dean, Office Aide, ext. 1251:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Transportation & Winter Weather

The Highland Local School District understands that the decision to open or close schools, offer a two-hour delayed start, or resort to an early release in bad weather has an enormous effect on all of our families.  As we enter into the winter season, the following information may help you to better understand the process we use when making a decision to open/close/modify the school day due to inclement weather.

HOW DO WE MAKE OUR DECISION?

When bad weather affects the area, we make the decision to open/close schools or modify the school day schedule based upon a careful analysis of all relevant factors, such as:

• Information on road conditions from transportation staff, local law enforcement and road crews (as warranted); we must give careful consideration to the most dangerous roads in the district; they can be treacherous, even if your road or street looks clear.
• Amount of accumulated snow and ice;
• Whether precipitation is expected to continue throughout the day;
• Temperature and wind chill (wind chills at or below -15°F during key walking and waiting-for-bus times are given special consideration);
• Impact on our transportation fleet (school bus diesel fuel begins to gel at an ambient temperature of zero degrees);
• Weather predictions (including those from our own satellite system and local radar);
• Storm timing;
• Building conditions (such as whether there is electricity and heat);
• Parking lot conditions;
• What other surrounding districts are doing.

WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
The superintendent is responsible for the final decision, based upon the factors above and recommendations from the Director of Operations, road crews, and local law enforcement and safety officials, as warranted.  We have a very large district.  Weather and road conditions may be fine in one portion of the district, but not in another.  In such instances we must close school or modify the school day for the entire district.

WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE?
We strive to make the decision to close by 5:30 a.m., or earlier, so that we may send an automated notification to all families and staff through our automated phone system, notify TV stations (WKYC - Channel 3; WEWS – Channel 5;  WJW – Fox 8; and WOIO – 19 Action News), and post the information to our web site.  Keep in mind that unusual weather conditions may force us to make the decision after this time.  

WILL WE CLOSE SCHOOL IF CONDITIONS WORSEN?
Even if weather conditions worsen, we cannot reverse our decision in the morning without endangering students. Once we make the decision to open the schools, many parents rely on that and leave for work.  If we then send students back home, many will return to unsupervised bus stops and empty houses.  If conditions worsen during the school day, we may need to have an earlier dismissal, but we will give as much notice as possible through the previously mentioned means.  (Please make sure that you have completed and returned to school, the early-release information sheet for your child.)

WHY DO WE USE A 2-HOUR DELAY?

If we believe that the weather forecast and radar images indicate that the weather system is moving out of the area or if the storm has already passed and road crews need additional time to clear the roads, we may call a 2-hour delay.  The result is that your child will be picked up at the bus stop 2 hours later than their normal time.

Although we do our absolute best in this process by carefully considering all information, we know that weather forecasting is an imperfect science and often no perfect decision exists.  As always, our top priority is the safety of our students.  If you do not feel that it is safe for your child to get to school, use your best judgment as to whether or not he or she should attend.  Also, please discourage teenagers from driving in bad conditions and offer them alternatives as weather conditions worsen.