The Shadow
LOW MOOR — When bad weather occurs, it may be necessary for the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools to cancel, delay, or close schools early.
With the winter season approaching, the school division is reminding the public of the procedures it uses when making important weather-related decisions.
“Closing schools due to inclement weather conditions can be a difficult decision under the best of circumstances. The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority any time a decision must be made regarding school closures and delays during a weather situation,” said Eric Tyree, AHPS’ director of maintenance and transportation.
In the event of winter weather, AHPS administrators closely monitor forecasts from the National Weather Service in Blacksburg and information on road conditions from the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Weather-related announcements will be made to students’ families and employees in a reasonable amount of time. In most instances, AHPS notifies all stakeholders simultaneously.
In some cases, weather-related decisions must be made overnight. No automated calls will be made to parents and employees between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Information will be quickly posted on AHPS social media and the school division’s website when decisions are made during daylight hours. Information will be conveyed to the news media as soon as possible, even if a decision is made in the overnight hours.
As a general rule, all AHPS schools follow the same schedule in the event of weather closures or delays. Virtual instruction will be provided to students only if it is needed to maintain required instructional hours.
On occasion, the school division becomes involved in the cancellation or rescheduling of athletic events. In general, sports-related decisions are site specific and they are made by principals and other staff.
Parents, students and the public are advised to follow AHPS on social media to stay informed about news and events. On Facebook, AHPS can be found at AHPublicSchools. The school division’s instagram page is ahpublicschools. The school division’s website is www.ahps.k12.va.us.
AHPS was created in July 2022 through the merger of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. The school division serves approximately 2,700 students, and it is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington.
