Inclement Weather

Covington Independent Public Schools prioritizes the safety of its students and staff during inclement weather events. In order to ensure the well-being of all while minimizing disruptions to learning, the district has established various options in response to weather conditions or other unexpected, short-term events. These options include delaying the start of school, releasing students early, implementing virtual learning, or canceling in-person classes entirely.

Where to Find Information

To effectively communicate any changes to the normal school operation due to inclement weather, Covington Independent Public Schools utilizes multiple notification methods:

District Website: The district website provides a notification of school closings and other cancellations.

Social Media: Information will be posted on the district’s Facebook page – Covington Independent Public Schools

Email, phone calls and text messages: Families and employees are notified via email, phone calls, and text messages. To receive text message notifications as a district parent, please make sure your child's school has your correct contact information.

Radio and TV:  Local stations share announcements on air and on their websites.

Please Note - Northern Kentucky school districts may have varying responses during inclement weather.  It is important to note that information pertaining to our district will only be listed under Covington Independent Public Schools - so please look for information under that heading.

We are committed to keeping our students safe and informed during inclement weather events.  We thank you for your cooperation and understanding.   

school bus in the snow

How a Decision Is Made 

District personnel take multiple measures to ensure that our decision is the best one for our students and staff. These factors include:

  • Information on road conditions from transportation staff and the police. We must consider the most dangerous roads in the district. Even if your street looks clear, travel elsewhere in the district may be dangerous. We must also consider that some high school students drive to school.

  • Weather predictions from the National Weather Service.

  • Temperature and wind chill. Please remember that many of our students walk to school and some must wait outside for the bus.

  • Building conditions (such as whether we have electricity and heat).

  • What other school districts are doing.

We also share information with other local districts and check whether they are opening or closing. After this process is complete, the staff makes a recommendation to the superintendent, who makes the final decision about delaying, closing, or dismissing school. 

Icicles on a tree

Wind Chill

On particularly cold mornings, the district continuously monitors the National Weather Service. There are two scenarios that come from the weather service: a Wind Chill Advisory and a Wind Chill Warning. According to the National Weather Service:

  • Wind Chill Advisory:  Wind chills between -10 and -24 degrees and at least a wind of 10 MPH or more

  • Wind Chill Warning:  Wind Chill -25 degrees and below with at least a wind of 10 MPH or more.

When the National Weather Service issues a wind chill warning for Covington for the time the school day begins, the district will make a decision to close schools. It is quite likely we will make this type of decision on the morning of the day in question as it is hard to predict what the wind chill will be the night before. The district will likely be open if there is a Wind Chill Advisory. 

Delays

If schools open on a delayed schedule:

  • Bus pick-up will be delayed accordingly. For example, if schools open on a one-hour delay, bus pick-up times will also be delayed by an hour.  

Cancellations

When school is cancelled:

  • Classes at James E. Biggs Early Childhood Education Center also are cancelled.   

  • After-school activities are cancelled. Please check with the athletic department or with coaches to determine if games or practices are cancelled.

Early Dismissal

If schools are dismissed early:

  • After-school activities, classes, and programs—including Community Learning Center, tutoring programs, and Adult Education classes—will be cancelled. Check with your child's school to see if the early dismissal will affect evening competitions.

Make-up Days

Decisions about making up the time missed will be made on a case-by-case basis in accordance with state guidelines.

Students will have to make up missed days before school ends for the year. However, the Board of Education does have the authority to adjust the school year calendar by reducing student days as long as the calendar meets all Kentucky Department of Education requirements for attendance.

snowman