RedRule

How am I notified of school closings?
Announcements of school closings will be made on KYW (1060 AM). The radio stations identify school districts by name and/or by specific numbers. Centennial’s school closing # is 753. When schools open late, 753 will be announced along with details on the delayed opening.

Our local TV news stations (Channels 3, 6, 10, and 29 ) show school closings on the bottom of the TV screen. Information is also posted on the websites for Channel 10 at www.NBC10.com and Channel 6 at www.WPVI.com.

In addition, information will be posted on Comcast cable channel 28, Verizon cable channel 36, and on the district web site: www.centennialsd.org

Have School Closing Announcements Sent Directly to Your E-Mail Address
Centennial School District has a service that will send school closing announcements directly to you via e-mail. Once you subscribe, you will receive the first word on school closing, delayed openings or early dismissal announcements.  The service is free and you may subscribe/unsubscribe at any time.

To subscribe to the CSD eAlert:
  1. Click on the Register button at the top right of the page.
  2. Enter your birthdate  (So that this site is compliant with federal law under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), all registration requests must first pass birth date validation. Birth date information is collected only to validate your age and is not stored.)
  3. Note that there are required fields:  First Name, Last Name, Email Address, and Password.
  4. Check all the schools/grades that apply to your student(s).
  5. Click the DONE button.
  6. You will now see a message that your registration has been accepted.
  7. You will recieve notification when your account has been created. Usually within 1 week.

If you wish to subscribe to any section eAlerts (teacher pages, School Board pages, etc):

  1. Please sign into the website using the Sign-In Name and password that were sent to you. 
  2. Once signed in, you will need to click on the Access My Info button that appears at the top right of the page.
  3. You will now see your profile displayed and available to edit if necessary.  Please scroll down until you see My E-Alerts & Subscriptions.
  4. Click on Edit Subscriptions.
  5. At this point, you will be able to select any sections on our website to which you would like to subscribe.  This subscription will enable you to receive email messages from the editors of these sections, if they decide to announce a significant update on their pages.
  6. Please select any additional pages that may apply to you or your child/children, for example:  teacher page(s), athletic page(s), etc.
  7. Scroll to the very bottom and click on Subscribe.  You will now be set to receive important alerts from our website.
Whenever a closing announcement is made, a copy will be e-mailed to the address you provided.

RedRule

Who makes the decision to close schools?
The final decision is made by the Superintendent of Schools. The decision to close schools or alter the school day (late openings/early dismissal) is taken very seriously.  In the case of severe winter weather, the Superintendent consults the Supervisor of Transportation. They also take into consideration weather forecasts and any information available from local police, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Every effort is made to arrive at a decision by 5 AM. This early decision making enables the District to notify radio and television stations, initiate District phone chains, and post school status on the website as well as the District cable station (Verizon Channel 36 and Comcast Channel 28).

RedRule
What are the procedures for delayed opening?
Essentially, the same procedures are followed in making the decision to delay the opening of school. In some cases, weather conditions are such that hazardous weather will appreciably improve, and, with a delay of 2 hours, we are able to safely transport our children to school.

Notification of a delayed opening will be communicated in the same manner as a school closing.  Buses will arrive at bus stops 2 hours later than usual and school will begin 2 hours later than usual.

In the event that the opening of school is delayed, the radio stations will announce that a 2-hour delay is enacted and identify the district either by name or by our three-digit number (753).

The students’ schedule for delayed openings will be as follows:

High School:                    9:30 AM-2:15 PM
  (No AM MBIT; PM MBIT will proceed as scheduled)

Middle Schools:              10:00 AM-2:45 PM

Elementary Schools:**   11:00 AM-3:15 PM     
**  Willow Dale:              10:45 AM-3:00 PM
 
      AM and PM Kindergarten will operate on a modified schedule as follows:
  • AM Kindergarten students at Longstreth, McDonald-Davis and Stackpole will report at 11:00 AM and dismiss at 12:45 PM
  • AM Kindergarten students at Willow Dale will report at 10:45 AM and dismiss at 12:30 PM
  • PM Kindergarten students at Longstreth, McDonald-Davis and Stackpole will report at 1:30 PM and dismiss at 3:15 PM
  • PM Kindergarten students at Willow Dale will report at 1:15 PM and dismiss at 3:00 PM
RedRule

What if school is dismissed early?
Depending upon forecasts, weather, and road conditions, early dismissal may occur.  We try to avoid these types of situations. Past experience has shown that when children are sent home from school early, they often are returning to empty homes with no adult supervision.  This is a major concern for us.

Every effort is made to reach a decision on early dismissal prior to 10 AM in order to transport youngsters over our 17 square miles in a timely manner.  We also make every attempt to serve lunch prior to dismissal.  Should an early dismissal be called, the high school students are released first, middle school students second, and the elementary students LAST. This enables older students to be home to care for younger siblings.

When the decision is made to close schools early, all AM Kindergarten classes are dismissed at 11:00 AM.  PM Kindergarten classes will be cancelled.

EARLY DISMISSAL SCHEDULE*

  • AM Kindergarten  - 11:00 AM
  • No PM Kindergarten
  • High School  - 11:45 AM (No PM MBIT
  • Middle Schools - 12:15 PM
  • Elementary Schools - 12:45 PM
  • Administrative Offices - 2:00 PM

*Times might vary depending on traffic and  weather conditions.

RedRuleAre late activities and other events cancelled when school is closed?
In the event of school closings or early dismissal, all after-school and night activities are cancelled. This includes non-school-sponsored activities scheduled in our schools.
RedRule

What can I do to prepare my children for these situations?
Many parents find it helpful to identify a neighbor who can care for their child if the parent will not be home. It is helpful to share the name, address, and telephone number of this individual with your child’s school. We also encourage you to make note of the names and phone numbers of several of your neighbors. In the event that you are not home when schools close unexpectedly, it might prove helpful to have this information with you. In the case of an early dismissal, we recommend that parents do not drive to school to pick up children who normally ride the bus. The additional traffic that this creates at the school sites and on local roadways (especially in inclement weather) can create unsafe situations and congestion.

Certainly review with your youngster(s) home safely considerations and your personal expectations.

RedRule

What happens to non-public bus service in the event of school closing/early dismissal?
Non-public schools are notified of early dismissal by the Centennial Transportation Department, and students are transported home on the same early dismissal schedule as the public schools.

Non public schools will not be provided bus service when Centennial Schools are closed.