Home > District > School Closings Information

School Closings Information

How to best find out about school closings & delays

Special Notes:

When school is closed due to winter weather conditions, all after-school activities for the day will be canceled unless specified otherwise by the superintendent. In the event of early dismissal, notice will be immediately provided via SchoolMessenger, the district’s website, and local media stations.

Tornado Watches & Warnings and School District Operations:

Here is a reminder of how Forest Hills Public Schools operates during tornado watches and warnings:

Tornado Watch – When the National Weather Service issues a tornado watch, the district will do the following:

  • Continue a normal school day schedule.
  • Move recess and other scheduled outdoor activities to inside the building.
  • Ensure that a staff member in each building monitors official weather bulletins and local radar.
  • Consider the impact of storm fronts and squall lines on the transportation of students; transportation times may be altered to avoid transporting students during a thunderstorm when a tornado watch is in effect.
  • Cancel or postpone after-school activities and athletic events if the watch is issued prior to the start of these activities.
  • Designate a staff member to monitor weather bulletins and local radar if a watch is issued during after-school activities and athletic events (these events may be halted at the discretion of the on-site supervisor).

Tornado Warning – When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for any region encompassed by the geographical area of the Forest Hills Public Schools, the district will do the following:

  • Issue the tornado warning alert/alarm/announcement.
  • Move people to designated shelter areas.
  • Continuously monitor weather bulletins and local radar.
  • Suspend all routine operations until the warning has expired (this may include delay of the starting and ending of the school day).

We urge parents to refrain from coming to school to pick up their child during a tornado warning. The process of checking a child out of school diverts the attention of staff when their presence is needed to perform other important tasks during a warning.

Finally, children take their emotional cues from the caring adults in their lives. Please discuss with your family what should be done during periods of threatening weather. Severe weather watches and warnings are a common aspect of living in Michigan, and children are able to learn to calmly and deliberately respond to tornado watches and warnings.

If you have any questions regarding the district’s procedures during a tornado watch or warning, feel free to contact your child’s principal.