D62 Winter Weather Procedures
District 62 Winter Weather Procedures
November 2, 2026
Dear District 62 Families,
We’ve entered the month of November and wanted to share a few reminders with our learning community as we move into the winter season.
Key highlights:
Emergency Day designation: In the event of an extreme weather event resulting in heavy snow accumulations or widespread power outages, the district would elect to use one of its Emergency Days in lieu of an e-learning day. School would be closed and it would be a non-attendance day for students. Emergency days are built into the district’s 10-month and year-round school calendars throughout the year and would become student attendance days if needed. This decision is based on the understanding that e-learning may not be the most effective option during extreme weather events, as students and staff may face challenges with internet connectivity or power outages.
Delayed start for synchronous learning: In the event that an e-learning day is called, synchronous instruction via Google Meet will begin one hour after the regular start time. Middle school students will login at 9:00 a.m. and elementary school students will login at 10:00 a.m. This will give teachers time to organize their plans and share links with families. This will also give you as families an opportunity to prepare for this day of e-learning which we understand may be unique at home. Students should complete asynchronous (independent learning) tasks until they join their class on Google Meets.
Please note that in addition to inclement winter weather conditions, e-learning days may be called for various other reasons including flooding, cold weather or a burst pipe at one of our schools, for example.
We continue to engage in collaborative discussions with surrounding elementary and high school districts in our community (Districts 26, 63, 64, 79 and 207). Together, we are committed to a process that ensures decisions are made wisely and in a timely fashion regarding the safety and well being of our entire school community. District 62 will follow the guidelines below when closing schools for winter-related closings:
Data Source: Guidance from the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS) is the primary meteorological source to determine and declare weather conditions such as snow forecasts, wind-chill advisory or wind-chill warnings: http://www.weather.gov/
Priority on Safety: When the decision is made to close school because of severe weather-related conditions or other emergency situations. Some of the primary factors that are considered when making a decision include:
The safety and well-being of all students and staff
The ability of buses to pick up students
Severity and timing of the weather events (extreme cold, excessive snow, flooding, etc.)
The operable condition of our schools
How We Notify Parents and Students: When we deem it necessary to close schools or in the event of any other school emergency, parents can expect to receive an automated phone call and email. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide current and accurate contact information and/or preferences to the school. Our intent is to announce a school closure decision as soon as possible. Closing information is also available through:
School and district websites (www.d62.org).
WGN’s Emergency Closings website: http://www.emergencyclosingcenter.com/
Major radio and TV sources
Social media accounts: “X” (@62schools) and (www.facebook.com/62schools)
As always, the safety and security of our students and staff remains a top priority for District 62. These updates are intended to improve the overall quality of our e-learning experiences while also prioritizing the safety and well-being of students and staff. We are also aware of the importance of continuing teaching and learning without disruption.
We appreciate your support and partnership as we work hard to support learning in our district, especially during inclement weather.
Sincerely,
Michael Amadei, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools