Area schools close ahead of winter storm

STAFF REPORT

A winter storm warning and a winter weather advisory are in effect for North and Central Texas Thursday through early Friday. The warning is for areas near and east of the DFW Metroplex, while the Watch is for western North Texas and northern Central Texas. Snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 inches will be possible in the warning area, and isolated amounts up to 8 inches within more intense bands north and northeast of the DFW Metroplex. A mix of snow and sleet of up to 2 inches and ice of up to a tenth of an inch are expected in the Advisory.

AREA SCHOOLS CLOSED THURSDAY

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, Jan. 8, the Azle, Springtown, Lake Worth and Poolville school districts announced there will be no school Thursday, Jan. 9, due to anticipated freezing precipitation. Below is information from each district explaining their policies for weather cancellations. Families will need this information in order to check to see if schools will be closed Friday, as well.

SPRINGTOWN ISD

Springtown ISD administration says it is actively monitoring weather conditions and will make any weather-related decisions as early as possible and no later than 6 a.m. on school days.

If school is delayed or canceled due to weather, here's how you'll know:

• Text and email notifications will go directly to parents and staff.
• Updates will be posted on the Springtown ISD app, website and social media pages.
• Will share information with local news outlets.

For more details about Springtown ISD’s inclement weather procedures, visit: https://5il.co/1v4x2.

LAKE WORTH ISD

Lake Worth ISD’s primary way of sending notices to all Bullfrog Families is through SchoolStatus Connect. Login to Skyward to verify your contact information to ensure your account is linked to your information.

• Receive notifications about school events, closures and delays.
• Stay informed on the latest district news.

Information about school closures or delays will be shared through the following channels:

• SchoolStatus Connect will deliver a notification to all parents and staff. (Please ensure your contact information is correct and up to date in Skyward and verify that you can receive notifications from SchoolStatus Connect.)
• Posts will be made to the official Lake Worth ISD social media pages.
• A pop-up notification will appear on the district website: lwisd.org
• If no information about cancellations or delays is posted on any of these sources, Lake Worth ISD schools will be open and operating on a normal schedule.

AZLE ISD

Azle ISD is committed to providing a quality educational experience and a safe learning environment for our students. We realize school closings, early releases, and delayed starts caused by inclement weather impact our families and employees.

In the event there is a possibility of inclement weather, school officials monitor the weather/road conditions throughout the day/evening. We also work closely with the National Weather Service, local emergency management personnel, and other area school districts.

Factors considered when making a decision to alter the normal school schedule:

• Road conditions to determine whether buses/cars can safely travel
• The existing accumulation of snow or ice
• The rate and expected duration of precipitation
• Parking lot and sidewalk conditions
• Weather predictions

The safety of our families and staff will always be our top priority when we are faced with decisions about school closings due to weather. We will notify our families about any changes in the school day as quickly as possible. We encourage our families to utilize their neighbors, friends, and family members to have backup plans in place.

In the event of inclement weather or a delayed school day, we will notify parents, students, and staff via text message and email. Information will also be posted on the Azle ISD website and app, Facebook, Instagram, and X pages, and local media outlets will be notified. It is imperative that families provide campuses with updated phone numbers and email addresses.

In the event of a delayed school day, the district will always use a two-hour delay. Buses will pick up students two hours from their normal pick-up time. Breakfast will not be served on late arrival days.

Official information concerning a delayed opening or the cancellation of the school day is usually determined and announcement no later than 6 a.m. If no announcements of campus closings or delays are made, it should be assumed the district will operate as normal.

POOLVILLE ISD

The Tri-County Reporter could not locate Poolville ISD’s inclement weather policy on its website; however, the district does utilize the ParentSquare notification system. The district posted the following message to its website Thursday afternoon:

Monarch Nation,

Due to anticipated severe weather conditions and in the interest of ensuring the safety of our students and staff, Poolville ISD will be closed Thursday, Jan. 9.

We are closely monitoring weather reports for Friday, Jan. 10, and there is a possibility of a continued closure if conditions remain hazardous. A final decision regarding Friday’s schedule will be communicated by Thursday, Jan. 8.

Please take all necessary precautions during this time and stay tuned for further updates via Facebook, ParentSquare and local news channels.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Stay warm and safe!