Inclement Weather Guidelines

The MSD of Pike Township will utilize the following schedule when inclement weather impacts regular school operations during the 2025 - 2026 school year. This includes in-person, remote, and virtual schedules.

2 Hour Delay:

• All instruction is delayed 2 hours to allow buses, teachers, and instructional staff to arrive at school safely.
• Nathaniel Jones Early Learning Center will begin at 6:30 a.m. There will be no A.M. developmental preschool at Nathaniel Jones Early Learning Center, Guion Creek Elementary School or College Park Elementary School.
• Loving Care opens at 6:30 a.m. at all elementary schools. Loving Care staff will report at their contracted time.
   

School Closed Due to Inclement Weather:

• Friday, February 13, 2026 Flex Day will be used on the first inclement weather call-off day. In order for students to remain on the same calendar schedule, there will be no in-person, remote, or virtual instruction.
• Remote instruction will be utilized for any additional school closings due to inclement weather which means teachers will offer “live” virtual instruction to students for each of their scheduled class periods. During “live” virtual instruction, teachers will complete attendance for each period. At the elementary level, AM attendance is completed only.
• Teachers, including developmental preschool teachers, may deliver instruction from home if it is determined that the road conditions are too hazardous for travel. If road conditions are determined to be safe, teachers will provide instruction from their school classrooms. Designated instructional assistants will provide support from home or school based on road conditions.
• The Nathaniel Jones Early Learning Center, including all developmental preschool (Guion Creek Elementary School & College Park Elementary School) and Loving Care, will be closed for full day.
• All Pike Township Loving Care locations will be closed.
   

Remote Instruction Day Information due to Weather:
During a remote instruction weather day, students will have live “synchronous” virtual instruction from 8:00am to approximately 11:40am via TEAMS. After the student and teacher lunch times, students will finish their day asynchronously by completing assignments in Canvas or assignments previously provided by teachers. Office hours will be provided by teachers to meet with students virtually from 12:20pm - 3:00pm, as needed. The teacher contract day will end at 3:00pm.

• Please remember that attendance is completed during “live” virtual instruction; secondary teachers will complete attendance for each period. At the elementary level, AM attendance is completed only.

See below to find the schedule for each school level.
 

Pike High School

Middle Schools

Pike Preparatory Academy

Elementary Schools

Inclement Weather Plan 2025-2026

School Delays and Closings Due to Inclement Weather
 

Beliefs
Parents have a child-specific perspective regarding their child and the threat of inclement weather. A parent may make a determination for their child and should respect the perspective of another parent regarding their child.

MSD Pike Township respects a parent’s determination regarding their child’s attendance at school during inclement weather. If school is open or delayed, because of inclement weather, the school will respect the parent’s decision to keep their child at home. Parents are expected to contact the school and inform school officials of their determination. The student will be counted as absent, per state code, and students will be given an opportunity to complete their academic work in the same manner as an excused absence from school. MSD Pike Township believes all parents are committed to keeping children safe and will dress their children appropriately for the weather when sending the children to school. Variable weather conditions are to be expected in Central Indiana, and therefore, MSD Pike Township believes parents have plans in place for weather-related delays and closures and believe morning notification is generally appropriate.

MSD Pike Township believes the public expects schools to be open and to provide education, supervision, and other services (including meals) to its students.

Delaying or Closing School is Based on Multiple Variables

Freezing Rain/Sleet
The most unpredictable weather variable is freezing rain/sleet. Freezing rain/sleet is temperature sensitive and fast-occurring. It begins and ends with little notice. When freezing rain/sleet is predicted, the decision regarding school is delayed until the latest possible time in an effort to observe the most current and local conditions. Such a decision will generally be made in the morning.

Snowfall
Snowfall is more predictable than freezing rain/sleet. Meteorologists generally give a 2-inch variable when predicting snow accumulation. Because of the variation in actual snowfall, when compared to predicted snowfall, the decision regarding school status is delayed until the snow accumulation indicates a need for action. Such a decision, except in extreme situations, will generally be made in the morning.

Extreme Snowfall
Situations when snow has accumulated to a significant level or is at such a level with more snowfall predicted, then the decision regarding school may be made the previous evening. A significant level is one in which local authorities have indicated it is unlikely streets will be passable by the following morning.

Extreme Cold
Temperature prediction is increasingly accurate. MSD Pike Township uses the hourly temperature predictions for its zip code from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov). If the air temperature is predicted, by NOAA, to be -10 degrees or below (the starting point for wind chill concerns with calm wind) at 7:00 a.m., we will consider a two-hour delay for the start of school. If the air temperature is predicted to remain at -10 degrees or below at 9:00 a.m. the school will consider closing. Such a determination will be made as early as possible, perhaps the evening before, but certainly by 6:00 a.m. in the morning.

Extreme Wind Chill
Wind chill prediction is not as accurate as temperature prediction because wind speed is more variable by time and location. While NOAA observations and predictions are based upon the open conditions of the Indianapolis Airport, these conditions are often different throughout Marion County. Local observations of wind speed will affect the decision regarding delaying or closing school. Wind chill concerns emerge at a predicted wind chill temperature of -19 degrees. If the wind chill is predicted by NOAA to be -19 degrees or below and local wind conditions are predicted to mirror the airport wind conditions at 7:00 a.m., the school will consider a two-hour delay for the start of school. If the wind chill is predicted to remain at -19 degrees or below and local conditions mirror the airport wind conditions at 9:00 a.m., the school will consider closing. The variability of wind speed will likely cause this decision to be made in the morning.
 

Functional Facilities
Utility issues (gas, electricity, water) may cause a school to close. Issues associated with cold, including water supply to a building and electricity to a building or neighborhood, may cause school to be canceled.

Weather Related Closings/Delay Guidelines