Weather-Related School Closings

Communication

The decision to close or alter school will be made as early as possible. The Willard School District will work to communicate via email to families if there is a chance of cancellation in the days leading up to a possible storm. If school is canceled or virtual due to severe weather conditions, our Communications Department will use an automated system to call and text staff and families. Typically, this automated call will occur before 5:30 a.m. on the day of the closure.

Staff and families are asked to save the phone number 417-742-2584 and short text code 60680 into their cell phones as "Willard School District."

We also ask families to review their contact information in Infinite Campus (Parent Portal) so we can ensure they are receiving updates as needed. If you do not already receive these messages, contact the district office at 417-742-2584 to update your information.

In addition, announcements about postponements or cancelations will be made on Willard School District’s social media pages and website, as well as on local news media.

Late Start
In the event school of a late start, buses will be delayed by approximately three and a half hours after their regular time. Buildings will be open to students at 9:00 a.m. All schools will end at their regularly-scheduled time.

School will begin at 11:45 a.m. for all elementary and intermediate schools, and at 11:00 a.m. for the Middle School and High School.

On late-start days, there will be no morning activities or practices, Pioneer Transportation, Early Childhood Special Education, or morning Tiger TALES. Afternoon Tiger TALES will go on as normal.

AMI Days
Alternate Methods of Instruction (AMI) is a flexible form of instruction that will vary based on grade level. In the event of an AMI Day, students will complete assigned coursework from teachers remotely using school Chromebooks (Middle School and High School) and/or provided paper packets (Elementary and Intermediate Schools). Student participation on AMI days is required for all students. Students will be expected to engage in the instruction (method depends on grade level and will be communicated by teachers) and complete any assignments. For grades PK-12, attendance will be based on assignment completion.

Snow Days
In the event school is canceled due to inclement weather, Willard Public Schools will specify in its communication whether it is a Snow Day or an AMI Day. If the day is labeled as a snow day, there will be no AMI learning conducted.

TigerTALES
If school is dismissed early because of weather, afternoon TigerTALES will not be available. If school is canceled entirely because of weather, Willard Schools does not offer any child care.

If you have any questions, please contact your building secretary.

Weather-Related School Closing FAQs

How does the district decide whether to close school or not?

Student safety is always the district’s primary concern. The district goes through several steps to determine if it is safe for kids to get to school, including:

When the threat of winter weather approaches, administrators begin monitoring and communicating directly with the National Weather Service about the timing and extent of the incoming weather. Administrators also communicate with other area districts to learn what conditions are in their area and what may be heading toward the Willard District.
A team of district administrators drive throughout the entire district the night before and/or by 4 o’clock the morning of to assess weather and road conditions. Sometimes conditions are different in one part of the district than they are in another. Administrators have to take into account conditions in all parts of the district.
All of the information is analyzed and every effort is made for a decision to be communicated by 5:30 a.m.

How will we know if school is closed due to weather?

There are several ways to learn whether Willard has closed school.

Our district notification service sends an automated email, text message, and/or phone call to parents with their information set up in our Student Information System. If you do not already receive these messages, please contact the District Office at 417-742-2584 to update your information.
Check our district website. This is the most reliable source of information. Every effort is made to post closings by 5:30 a.m.
Check our District Facebook Page.
We notify media outlets to add Willard schools to their list of closings. Keep in mind, however, that this can be the LEAST reliable source of information. It is always best to confirm what you see or hear in the media.

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