• WEATHER POLICY TITLE

    The safety of all our students is the first priority when determining if HCPA should stay open in extreme weather conditions. The decision to close the school is not taken lightly, considering its impact on working families.

    HOW THE COMMUNITY IS NOTIFIED:

    A decision regarding a school closing or delayed start is typically made by 6:00 a.m. and will be communicated through the following channels:

    • Twin Cities television stations
    • The district website
    • Social media platforms
    • An alert notification sent via the District’s communication system to families by phone and/or text. Messages will be sent to home, cell, and work numbers based on the contact information provided by each family.
      • Important Note: If you miss the call, a voicemail will be left. Please check your voicemail rather than redialing the number.

    WINTER CLOTHING
    REMINDER
    We kindly remind families to dress their children appropriately for the extreme cold weather conditions. As students often spend time outside on their way to the dome or boarding buses, we recommend coats, hats, mittens/gloves, scarves, and similar winter attire for their comfort and well-being. While HCPA does not allow coats and jackets in the classroom, it is highly recommended to ensure your children are dressed appropriately during these circumstances.

    SCHOOL CLOSURES

    For information on school closures, you may refer to these sources:

    HCPA DIRECT SOURCES:
    Schoology
    District Website - HCPAK12.ORG
    District's Facebook Page
    Emails, Audio calls, & Text messages

    LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS:
    KSTP Channel 4
    WCCO Channel 5
    Fox Channel 9
    KARE 11

    **THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED IN SCHOOL AND OVER THE WEEKEND WILL DETERMINE CANCELATION IF THERE'S A WEATHER CONCERN**

    cold weather closures

    Cold weather school closures are determined based on the National Weather Service's warning system. For instance, if the National Weather Service issues a "windchill warning" indicating that exposed skin can become frostbitten in less than 15 minutes, the district may decide to close the school to ensure students' safety while traveling to school and waiting for buses.

    **The decision to cancel school will be made by the superintendent. Parents can refer to the resources listed previously, as they will be updated as soon as a decision is made. Parents will also receive an immediate phone call/text/email notifying school closures.**

    snow closures

    Similarly, extreme snow school closures occur if road conditions become hazardous for buses and vans, or if travel delays prevent teachers/staff from reaching the building or cause excessive wait times for buses.

    **The decision to cancel school will be made by the superintendent. Parents can refer to the resources listed previously, as they will be updated as soon as a decision is made. Parents will also receive an immediate phone call/text/email notifying school closures.***

    online

    PARENTS CONCERNED ABOUT EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS
    For parents concerned about extreme weather conditions while school continues to take place, parents/guardians ultimately decide whether to bring their children to school. However, if school continues, attendance is expected unless parents/guardians believe there are safety concerns due to the weather. If a child is kept home, an absence can be reported by contacting HCPA's attendance hotline at (651) 338-8567, before the start of the school day; otherwise, the absence will be marked unexcused. Please note that students already in school will not be excused if they choose to go home.

    early release

    WINTER STORMS
    In case of a worsening storm during the school day, the Superintendent will decide on early school closure. Look to the aforementioned resources for updated information.

    TORNADO WARNINGS/OTHER WEATHER CONCERNS
    During tornado warnings or other severe weather situations, buses won't load, and students will remain at school.

    AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITY CANCELATIONS
    Cancelation of after-school activities may occur if weather or road conditions become too hazardous to keep students past regular school hours. HPCA will make a decision as early as possible and notify the parents of the students involved via phone call/text/email.

    **THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED IN SCHOOL AND OVER THE WEEKEND WILL DETERMINE CANCELATION IF THERE'S A WEATHER CONCERN**

    LATE STARTS
    We DO NOT offer late starts for students due to the complexity of student transportation at Hmong College Prep Academy District 4103-07.

    For questions, please contact the district office at (651) 209-8002