Snowfall and Safety: How LaRue County Schools Handles Inclement Weather

For most students (and teachers), the occasional snow day brings a sigh of relief. No need to fight through poor conditions. No worries about extra homework. No trudging out in cold weather to stand at a bus stop. Making those snow days a reality is the responsibility of Ron Whitlock, Director of Transportation for LaRue County Schools.

With winter weather fully underway throughout the state, Whitlock wants parents, students and the community to understand how snow days are called.

“When bad weather comes in, myself and a few members of the transportation department head out to check roads all over the county,” Whitlock said. His team starts early, often leaving between 3:30-4 a.m. to make an accurate call before bus drivers arrive at 5 a.m.

“Our number one goal is the safety and health of our students and staff, so I’m always thinking of everyone including our first-time teenage drivers at the high school when we make the call concerning school being in session,” Whitlock said.

Kentuckians have experienced their fair share of ice and above-average snow. Many recall the severity of the 2009 ice storm. As it stands now, the 2022-2023 winter could bring in several inches of snow and some of the coldest weather in recent years. These snowy days affect the county in drastically different ways, Whitlock noted.

“For instance, in Roanoke there might be worse road conditions because of how far north it is than somewhere like HWY 210 on the southern end of the county,” he said. “Roads might be clear in downtown Hodgenville, but could still be covered out in the county. There’s many factors at play on any given day when winter weather moves in.”

How LaRue County Students can Stay on Track Despite Snow

Inclement weather days can cause a bit of extra confusion for parents, especially when it comes to which days students have off and which ones they’ll have to make up. Like many other schools, LaRue County Schools sometimes choose to use Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) days.

These NTI days are when in-person instruction has been canceled due to weather, sickness, or other factors and students are able to continue learning from home with lessons and support from their teachers. Assistant Superintendent for Student Achievement Amanda Reed explained that these NTI days are strategically used by the school.

“While each situation will be different, our aim is to use Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) days when we know school could be called off for in-person instruction for multiple days in a row due to bad weather that can be seen a few days in advance and then prepared for,” she said.

“On days when school is canceled for one or two days, especially at the last minute, the intent is to take an old-fashioned snow/weather day. Either way, when school is called off due to inclement weather, families will be notified whether it is a snow day or an NTI day. Each school has instructional plans for lessons and help on NTI days as 1st grade could look very different from 10th grade. When an NTI day is called, please follow the instructions from your school or teacher for how to access lessons and support for the day. Students are expected to complete their lessons on NTI days. Lesson completion is what allows our district to count an NTI day rather than having to make up the day later.”