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USD 383 to try two-hour school delay after heavy snow; district urges family discretion and offers excusal guidance
Summary
Following heavy snowfall, USD 383 leaders told the board they will pilot a two-hour delay option to improve safety for buses and families, and reminded parents they may keep children home if travel remains unsafe.
The Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 administration told the school board on Jan. 20 it will pilot a two-hour delayed start for school after heavy snowfall, and urged families to exercise judgment about whether it is safe to send students to school.
District presenters said the delay is intended to allow travel in daylight, let crews clear key routes, and give bus drivers and families a better chance for safer pick-ups. “We’re gonna try to go back tomorrow and start our 2 hour delay,” a district staff speaker said during the superintendent’s report; the board discussed communications, bus routing and how the delay would be communicated to families via ParentSquare.
Why it matters: The new two-hour delay is a change to how the district will manage severe-weather response and could be used as an intermediate option when a full closure is not necessary. Board members stressed safety and parental choice.
Operational details and communication District staff said they used ParentSquare and other systems to notify families and encouraged caregivers to find a safe, visible pick-up location if a bus stop was snowed in. The district also noted that some professional development days missed during the weather will be rescheduled and that staff will redistribute required trainings across upcoming dates.
Board conversation and community partners Board members praised communication work and partnerships supporting the community during the storm. A board member noted a local Habitat for Humanity volunteer spreadsheet coordinating snow removal and that high school volunteers were helping neighbors. Several board members also thanked operations staff for long hours to prepare facilities and roadways.
Guidance for families District staff reiterated: if families judge travel to be unsafe—whether walking, driving or riding a bus—they should keep students home and call the school to record an excused absence for weather. Staff emphasized the district’s intention to use the two-hour delay as a tool to restore in-person instruction when conditions allow.
Next steps District staff said they will evaluate the two-hour delay after the pilot use and incorporate feedback from families, bus drivers and building administrators before using the option in future severe-weather events.
