The decision to close school is a difficult one and it is not taken lightly. The determination is usually made between 4:00 and 5:00 am. In cases where there is extreme weather being forecast or in situations where unsafe road conditions are only going to deteriorate overnight, the decision to close school may occur the night before the closure. The determination to close schools is made after consulting area weather forecasts and driving roads around the district to evaluate road conditions.

The decision to close is based on a number of factors:

Safety: The safety of school children is a prime consideration.

Road conditions: The district encompasses a large geographic area -- about 384 square miles. Road conditions may vary across the district with some areas being more or less hazardous. In addition, approximately 50% of students live within walking distance of their homes and road condition aren't as much of a safety factor.

Parental Choice: Parents can choose whether or not to send their children to school based on weather conditions in their neighborhood. Nearly two-thirds of our students come from homes where both parents work or from a single-parent home in which the parent works. When schools are closed, parents have no choice.

The district's policy allows parents to make their own choice about the safety of their children. If a parent feels that it is too cold or too dangerous for their child to walk or ride the bus to school, he or she has the option to keep their child home. The parent must notify the school about their intent to keep their child home. The absence or tardy would be considered excused under these circumstances if absences were such that credit was in jeopardy.

If you have a question regarding snow days, please check the Meridian District Website.  MMACHS follows The Meridian District decisions on snow days due to bussing schedules. 

http://www.meridianschools.org/Home_Page/District_Blog/Snow_Day?/