During the winter months several factors come into play that could delay the start of school or cause school to be closed altogether. One such factor is the wind chill on a given day. On particularly cold mornings we continuously monitor the National Weather Service and closely monitor the weather conditions. There are two possible scenarios that come from the National Weather Service: A Wind Chill Advisory and a Wind Chill Warning. The National Weather Service defines the two as the following:

Wind Chill Advisory: Wind Chills between -10 and -24 degrees and at least a wind of 10 MPH or more.

Wind Chill Warning: Wind Chills -25 degrees and below with at least a wind of 10 MPH or more.

When the National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Warning for Russellville for the time the school day begins, we will make a decision to close schools. It is quite likely we will make this type of decision on the morning of the day in question as it is hard to predict what the wind chill will be the night before. If there is a Wind Chill Advisory for Russellville, schools will likely be open unless there are operational problems with the bus fleet or mechanical problems in the school buildings. Buildings and the bus fleet are assessed in the morning prior to school by 6 a.m.

As a parent if you determine that the weather conditions are too dangerous for your child to be out we respect your decision. You are free to contact your child’s school to request an excused absence for the day. Please make sure you contact the attendance office at your child’s school to report the absence.

Understand that the safety of our staff and students is out top priority when making the decision to delay or close school. We can assure you that our school buildings are warm, safe and an ideal place for student to be when it is extremely cold outside. Parents should make sure their child is dressed appropriately for the cold weather. The district urges students to wear winter hats, gloves, heavy coats and boots. Frostbite and hypothermia are serious risks and need to be taken into consideration by the parents.

To get more information on how the wind chill is calculated see the National Weather Service wind chill chart from the National Weather Service.