Safety First: How School Closures Are Decided

For most students—and many teachers—the idea of a snow day brings a sense of relief. But deciding whether school can safely be in session during inclement weather is a responsibility taken seriously by LaRue County Schools and involves careful planning, early mornings, and a focus on safety above all else.

When winter weather threatens the area, the decision to delay or cancel school begins well before most families are awake. Members of the district’s transportation and administrative team are often on the roads as early as 3:30 or 4 a.m., traveling throughout the county to assess real-time conditions. Their goal is to evaluate road safety across LaRue County’s varied terrain before bus drivers begin reporting around 5 a.m.

Those early checks are critical because conditions can vary widely depending on location. Roads may be clear in downtown Hodgenville while remaining slick or impassable in more rural parts of the county. Elevation changes, shaded areas, bridges, and secondary roads can all impact whether buses and drivers can travel safely.

Ultimately, those assessments inform a broader conversation focused on student and staff safety.

“Our priority is always safety,” said Superintendent Adryanne Warren. “When we’re making these decisions, I’m thinking about our youngest students, new student drivers who may be navigating winter roads for the first time, and our buses—which are large vehicles that can be difficult to maneuver in poor conditions. All of that information matters when deciding whether it’s safe to have school.”

Warren emphasized that calling off school is never a decision made lightly. District leaders consider multiple factors, including road conditions, weather forecasts, temperature changes, and how conditions may evolve throughout the morning commute.

Once a decision is made, communicating clearly and quickly with families is essential. LaRue County Schools primarily uses ParentSquare to notify parents and staff of weather-related closures or delays. Notifications are sent simultaneously through phone calls, emails, and text messages to ensure families receive the information as early as possible.

In addition to ParentSquare, announcements are shared on the district’s official social media accounts and with local media partners to reach the broader community.

District leaders encourage families to rely on these official channels for accurate information and to avoid rumors or unofficial posts, especially during fast-changing weather events.

While snow days may feel simple on the surface, they are the result of hours of behind-the-scenes work and careful consideration. For LaRue County Schools, the decision always comes back to one guiding principle: making sure every student and staff member can get to and from school safely—or stay home when conditions make that the wiser choice.