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Inclement Weather

Central Oregon is home to a variety of micro-climates, sometimes bringing snow, lightning, and wind storms to targeted areas of our school district, while other areas are spared. School delays, closures and bus releases may be called district-wide or by north (Bend) or south Deschutes County (La Pine/Sunriver) to reflect differing conditions across the district, as necessary. 

How Delay, Early Release, or Closure Decisions are Made During Inclement Weather Events

During a weather event, teams are dispatched to assess conditions and determine whether changes to school operations may be necessary. Depending on weather and circumstances, these assessments may include:

  • Driving affected areas in Bend, La Pine and Sunriver in passenger vehicles to assess road conditions, weather hazards, and snow depth,
  • Assessing school facility conditions to ensure parking lots and primary sidewalks are accessible to students and staff,
  • Monitoring weather forecasts in partnership with NOAA,
  • Communicating with local and state road departments,
  • Monitoring regional TripCheck.com roadway cameras,

  • Communicating with local and regional law enforcement agencies.

If we decide to delay school start times by two hours, or to close schools for the day, we strive to announce the decision no later than 5:30 a.m. If there is no change in normal operations, we do not make an announcement.

Four students sit on a bench during snowy recess at Three Rivers

 

No news means no change!

This is how we announce school closures or delayed starts

Here’s where to find announcements of school closures or two-hour delayed start times due to severe weather or hazardous road conditions:

We no longer provide weather and closure updates on a phone hotline.

How to track bus route changes and delays 

Winter weather can cause delays in school buses arriving at stops on time. We have a new app, My Ride K-12, that parents, guardians and students can use to know approximately what time their school bus will arrive at their home stop. My Ride K-12 will provide real-time GPS bus locations, route information, and messages from Transportation with route updates.

 

Emergency Alerts

We will use our text messaging system — BL Connect — to alert families in the case of an evacuation, lockdown, emergency or weather-related event that calls for cancellation of a school day or changes to school day start or end times.

This notification will be sent AFTER students and staff have been secured and emergency responders have been notified. 

The text alert system will not be used in the case of drills, medical incidents involving specific students or secure (in a secure, school staff members lock the outside doors, but instruction continues as normal.) General press releases and community releases will not be sent using text messaging.

Signing up for the text message alerts through BLConnect allows families to hear news and updates directly from Bend-La Pine Schools, rather than from an alternate source. 

Parent Choice

For many of our students, school is the safest place to be during inclement weather. In many cases, both parents and/or guardians work outside the home. Schools provide a warm, supervised environment for children. However, parents are always encouraged to consider the conditions of their neighborhood and the well-being of their students in deciding whether to keep their student home. Students are excused from school when parents so request.