School closings and delays: When Triangle districts expect to make decisions

Here’s how Triangle school districts say they’ll make decisions about delays, closing, switching to remote learning or early releases if a band of winter weather arrives over the weekend as expected.

Bookmark this story and check back — it will be updated as closings are announced.

Schools are expected to make decisions about weekend athletic and extracurricular activities as well as classes on Monday. A common theme is that the entire school district is considered unsafe if road conditions are unsafe in any part of the district. Different parts of Wake County can have dramatically different weather.

Schools generally try to announce decisions so that families and school employees know the night before. But sometimes the decision can be made as late as 5:15 a.m., depending on overnight changes.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro

The superintendent makes a decision after receiving a recommendation from the district’s Division of Operations, which takes into account factors including the weather forecast, current and future road conditions, the safety of school grounds, power outages and internet access. The decision is communicated through the district website and its mass notification system (robocall, email, text).

Chatham County

District leaders say they make a decision after obtaining information and recommendations from experts, consulting with weather forecasters and safety personnel, and driving designated bus routes thoroughly throughout the county. The decision is communicated through phone calls, emails and text messaging; district and school websites; the Chatham County Schools NC app; television news outlets; and the district’s Facebook and X accounts.

Durham Public Schools

The district uses National Weather Service updates, local emergency management alerts, on-the-ground assessments of conditions and consultations with law enforcement and public safety officials to make decisions. Notification is made on the district’s website, the My DPS app, social media, automated phone calls and texts and local media partners.

Johnston County

The district’s Emergency Team works with local and state emergency and safety officials, local law enforcement agencies, and government officials to develop a course of action during inclement weather events. Announcements are shared with families via ConnectEd, the district website, school websites, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and local radio and television stations.

Orange County

The district’s Inclement Weather Team makes a recommendation after assessing the readiness of schools and facilities, monitoring conditions and forecasts before weather events, consulting with neighboring districts and driving all bus routes. Families are notified by phone call, email and text; push notification in Parent Portal; district and school websites; district social media; and news media.

Wake County

Decisions to adjust school schedules will be made after consulting the National Weather Service, local weather forecasters, and area law enforcement. The district uses district and school websites, emails, texts and phone calls to let families know about schedule changes.

Brooke Cain and Tammy Grubb contributed to this report.