November is here, which means we are officially heading into the winter weather season! We want to be sure all of our families and employees are prepared for the possibility of school cancellations and schedule changes due to severe winter storms. We’ve provided the information below, including our winter weather procedures and how we will communicate with you if schools need to close due to the weather.
As communicated in the summer, Missouri lawmakers approved legislation that affects our ability to utilize traditional snow days as we have in the past. The new law, which took effect in August, requires our school district to have 169 student-contact school days. Our 2024-2025 school year calendar, which had been previously approved, already met this requirement. In previous school years, we exceeded the minimum hours threshold and were not required to make up days missed due to inclement weather. With the new legislation, however, all missed school days will either need to be made up or treated as an Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI) Day.
Due to the limited number of AMI Days allowed, we will also be implementing options for Late Start and Early Release, so we can potentially have school in person on days when the weather forecast is uncertain, specifically in the morning or afternoon. District employees and leaders have carefully investigated the additional winter weather schedule options, in an attempt to keep the last day of school as scheduled on May 22.
Continue reading below for additional information about the new options and how we will communicate necessary schedule changes with you.
Winter Weather Procedures
In the event of winter storms or severe winter weather, school cancellation alternatives within the Republic School District will be as follows for the 2024-2025 school year:
Hold school as normal
No school in Republic School District, also known as a “traditional snow day”
At the October Board of Education meeting, members approved a revised 2024-2025 school year calendar, which makes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 20, 2025) and President’s Day (February 17, 2025) potential snow make-up days, if needed. If not used, those will continue to be days the district is closed and guaranteed days off for all staff. The district will communicate with families and employees if either day is planned to be a make-up day.
"Traditional snow days" are typically communicated by 5:30 a.m.
Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI) Day, also known as virtual learning
The district has five AMI Days available to use. Click here for more details about virtual learning procedures.
NEW OPTION FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR: Late Start due to expected weather
The Late Start will be by two hours, including bus routes and school start times.
Schools will adjust their daily schedule (lunch, recess, etc.) as needed.
Evening practices and events will be on unless otherwise communicated
On these days, dismissal will continue at normal times.
No STRIPES 360 or Winter Escape will be available before school on these days, however, afternoon STRIPES 360 will continue as normal.
If necessary, a two-hour late start could allow us to still have school once roads have thawed or if expected weather passes in the morning, so we can avoid having to use a make-up day.
Late Start days will typically be communicated by 5:30 a.m.
NEW OPTION FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR: Early Release due to expected weather
All dismissals will take place one to two hours earlier than normal, which will be communicated when a decision is made.
Evening practices and events will be canceled.
STRIPES 360 will be available for Kindergarten-6th grade students who are registered, if it's safe for staff members to stay. This will be communicated at the time of any Early Release decision and details.
Early Release could give us an option to still come to school and avoid a make-up day even if inclement weather is a possibility in the afternoon.
If the district implements an Early Release, a decision will be made and communicated by 10:00 a.m.
Additional details regarding winter weather procedures are available here, including specific school schedules.
Staff members needing specific information about their schedule are encouraged to reach out to their building administrator or director.
Communication
As always, the district works closely with weather expert partners to make informed decisions when it comes to winter storms, and we will communicate as early as possible if a schedule change might be necessary. If school schedules need to be changed, canceled or virtual due to severe weather conditions, our Communications Department will use an automated system to call and text staff members, parents/guardians and secondary students (RMS/RHS).
In the event of a traditional snow day, AMI day or Late Start day, typically, these messages will occur before 5:30 a.m. on the day of the schedule change. In the event of an Early Release day, messages will be sent by 10:00 a.m. All employees, parents/guardians and secondary students (RMS/RHS) with phone numbers provided in our student information system will receive phone calls and text messages related to school cancellations.
Here are a few things to remember:
Families and staff members are asked to save the phone number 417-732-3636 and text short code 98900 into their cell phones as "Republic Schools." If you’ve already opted out of text messages and would like to opt back in, please text START to 98900.
We ask that families be sure to update their contact information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal so we can ensure you are receiving communication as needed. If you have any questions on how to update your contact information, you may call your student’s school.
If your secondary student (RMS/RHS) would like to receive phone calls and text messages related to school cancellations and other important updates, please be sure to include their phone numbers in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
In addition, announcements about school day changes or cancellations will be made on Republic School District’s social media pages and website, as well as on local radio and TV stations.