• Road safety of students and staff and ability of school buses to travel safely
• Whether utility services are affected such as electric power and gas.
• Some young students may not have adult supervision during the day if school is closed.
• Other students may not have a warm place to stay during the day.

• Assume that school will open as usual.
• The County's procedure for closing schools is as follows:
  • We closely monitor weather reports on the major television and radio stations.
  • We are in contact with the police and sheriff’s department as needed.
  • We are in contact with neighboring school districts.
  • We are in contact with Shelby County EMA
  • Administrative personnel begin driving roads and major arteries at approximately 3:00 a.m. to determine the degree of iciness and road safety.
  • At approximately 4:30 a.m., the Transportation Director will contact the Superintendent to discuss the conditions throughout the district, with special emphasis on areas traveled by school buses. At this time, the Superintendent will determine if more data is needed before the decision is made whether or not to open school.
  • Student and staff safety on the roads is our major consideration.
  • If/when the Superintendent makes the decision to close schools, all notification procedures are put into place between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m.
• Check with one of the following sources of information to obtain information:
  • Shelby County Schools web site at www.shelbyed.k12.al.us
  • Major television stations (see list below)
  • Major radio stations (see AM and FM list below)
  
  As noted above, school closing decisions are made between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. Should the Superintendent determine that closing schools is the appropriate course of action, the Public Relations Supervisor immediately begins alerting the media. We will NOT inform the media if we will NOT be closed.
  
• If schools must be closed, the school day must be made up later in the year on one of the dates designated as an “inclement weather” day.
• Other conditions such as heating capabilities may influence the decision.
• Please do not call the schools, the Transportation Department, or the Central Office

Most schools and departments have limited phone lines. If schools are in session and the weather is getting bad, it is important that we be able to keep them open for emergencies. If it is still very early in the morning, it is unlikely that there are staff members manning the telephones.

If the decision is made to close schools, the media (TV and radio) are the first people we notify. You will get the most accurate and timely information from these sources.

TV Stations

• WBRC TV FOX 6
• WBMA TVABC 33/40
• WVTM TV NBC 13
• WBMG TV CBS 42
• WTTO TV 21
• WABM TV 68

Radio Stations

• WERC 960 AM
• WJOX 690 AM
• WMJJ 96.5 FM
• WZZK 104.7 FM
• WYSF 94.5 FM

Delayed Openings
and Early/Delayed Dismissals

While delayed openings are rare the above procedures will be followed but with a designation of being a “Delayed Opening” with the time delay noted.

Early/Delayed dismissals system wide and by individual school can occur because of impending fast approaching weather such as ice, snow, severe thunderstorms or tornado warnings. Utilizing all the resources mentioned above such a determination may be made by the Superintendent. Every effort will be made to notify parents utilizing the School Master phone system as well as the media listed above. Students will remain under school system supervision until safely transported or picked up by a parent or guardian.