Weather Related School Cancellations

When Winter Weather Forces Classes to be Canceled, You Need to Know Right Away

Winter weather is here, and Columbus City Schools is ready to help you plan ahead should the District be forced to cancel classes due to inclement weather.

Our goal is to announce a school cancellation as soon as we can. We are constantly monitoring weather forecasts and road conditions and will make an announcement the night before whenever possible. If weather conditions are such that a determination the night before is not possible, the Superintendent and her Operations team will make a decision no later than 5:30 a.m. Once the decision to close or cancel has been made, the next step is to alert parents, teachers, and staff.  

STAY CONNECTED: news about cancellations of classes or the cancellation of extracurricular activities, field trips, and/or student-athletic events due to inclement weather are shared in several ways.

• Make sure the contact information on file at your child’s school is accurate. If you need to update this information, contact the main office in your child’s school or update online in the Parent Portal. (This includes emergency contacts, phone numbers, and email addresses).
• All families and staff will be alerted through an automated call, email, and text message from the District’s phone system. It is important to have your updated contact information on file in order to receive this notification.
• Follow Columbus City Schools on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check our website. As soon as the decision is made to cancel school, we’ll share news and other schedule updates on the District website and on our social media pages.
• Monitor the news on local television and radio stations.

Extracurricular Activities, in the event of class cancellations or early dismissal due to inclement weather:

• Cancellation of School Day - Generally, evening activities, events, and athletic practices are canceled when classes are canceled for the day; however, there are occasions when an event might occur even when schools have been closed. Please monitor the District’s website and social media outlets for special instructions (ccsoh.us).
• Early Dismissal Due to Inclement Weather - Early dismissal for inclement weather will automatically cancel all after-school activities.

HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: When inclement weather impacts the morning commute, the Superintendent plans to determine whether to cancel classes as early as possible. This may be the night before or no later than 5:30 a.m. the next morning if possible. If bad weather is forecast for the afternoon, classes may be dismissed as early as noon. Have an alternative plan for your child’s day already set.

• Supervision: is your child responsible enough to be home alone, or do they need someone to stay with?
• Healthy Food: is there nutritious food available for your child to eat for breakfast and lunch?
• Safe Location: if classes are dismissed early, does your child go home or to another location? If your child is under the age of 8, will there be someone to meet them at the bus stop?
• Engaging Activities: what safe activities do you have for your child to do if they are at home for an unexpected amount of time?

Frequently Asked Questions about CCS weather and school cancellation process.

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