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Spokane students will make up snow day on March 11

District leaders said the night before school starts, they mobilize a ‘weather alert team' that includes district leaders and officials from Durham Bus Service.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Public Schools leaders decided to started school two hours late Monday due to the weather. On Tuesday, the district canceled school. 

Students will have to make up the day on March 11. The day is already built into the school calendar. 

If Spokane cancels school on Wednesday, students will have to go to school one more day in June. 

KREM looked into what goes into the decision to close SPS schools.

District leaders said the night before school starts, they mobilize a ‘weather alert team.’ This includes district leaders and officials from Durham Bus Service.

At 3 a.m., Durham Bus supervisors drive the bus routes on the north and south sides of Spokane. They then report their recommendations back to the SPS associate superintendent and director of transportation.

Then at 5 a.m., the superintendent and community relations director are briefed on the situation and they come to a final decision. At 6 a.m. parents will start receiving alerts of the delay or closure.

They not only consider the road conditions, but also the walking routes and the days forecast. District leaders said their first concern is always safety.

The district sends out its 11 plows when the predicted snowfall is expected to be more than two inches.  It takes crews from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. to plow the entire district.

SPS leaders said conditions on the north side and south side of the district can be very different. They urge parents to take their own situation into account on deciding whether to send the child to school.  District leaders said students are excused from school if their parents believe it's unsafe to make the trip. 

District spokesperson Brian Coddington said Monday's delay gave city plows more time to make another pass at arterials. This also meant buses could pick up students after the morning rush when there's less traffic.

SPS leaders said it’s their job to have school and for many students, it’s the safest place to be during bad weather.

For more information about what goes into the decision on whether to open, delay, or close public schools in Spokane, visit the SPS website.

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