Nov. 15, 2022

Winter weather is on its way, and now is a good time to become familiar with the New Hartford Central School District’s plans for emergency school closure days.

The district’s 2022-23 academic calendar allows for five emergency closure days, which are used when the district must close due to conditions beyond its control, such as inclement weather or an unplanned loss of utilities.

The district’s five emergency closure days will be non-instructional days. Staff members and students in kindergarten through grade 12 are not expected to report to school remotely or otherwise on these days. 

Emergency Closure Communications

The superintendent uses ParentSquare to notify parents, guardians and district staff members of emergency school closings, delays and early dismissals. The system generates an automated phone call, email message and a text message for those parents, guardians and staff members who have opted in to the text message option. 

If parents or guardians are unsure whether the district has their correct email or phone numbers on file, they should contact the main office of their student’s school.

The district website and local news media will serve as backup notification systems and as a notification source for non-parents or community organizations. The district will share school closing and delay information with the local news media listed below.

The district will not use social media to notify the public of an emergency closing or delay since the district cannot control the time frame in which those notifications reach subscribers.

It is best to rely on more than one source of information when it comes to weather-related announcements. This is particularly true in situations that involve power outages, which can affect the district’s ability to update the website and send electronic notifications.

When there is inclement weather, the decision to dismiss early, delay opening or close school is based on the superintendent’s discussions with the district’s transportation director and the latest weather predictions. 

Unless otherwise noted, all scheduled activities at New Hartford schools are canceled on the days school is closed or closes early. The same holds true on afternoons when after-school and or evening activities are canceled due to inclement weather.

Media Outlets Notified

• Radio: WODZ-FM (OLDIEZ 96.1); WUMX-FM 102.5 (MIX); WOUR-FM 96.9; 94.9; WTLB-AM; WRNY-AM; WIXT-AM; WSYR; B104.7; HOT 107.9; WIBX (950 AM); WLZW-FM (LITE 98.7); WFRG/Big Frog 104 (104.3 FM)
• TV: WUTR/WFXV 33; YNN; NBC 3; WTVH-5; WKTV
• Newspaper: Observer-Dispatch