In the Pacific Northwest, from time to time, weather may require us to change our normal operating routines. University Place School District utilizes a variety of information to determine the plan that is safest for students and staff while taking into account the impact on our families when decisions are made to close or delay school.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION EXPLAINS HOW DELAY / CLOSURE DECISIONS ARE MADE AND HOW FAMILIES CAN GET THE MOST CURRENT AND ACCURATE INFORMATION POSSIBLE:

How are decisions made to delay or cancel school? 
When snow or ice are predicted, we  drive the roads in U.P. before 4:30 am to check on local conditions. We also monitor regional conditions  because many staff commute from outside University Place.  Safety is our primary concern. We try to make a decision by  5:15 a.m. Sometimes, if we know early morning conditions will be unsafe, we will announce a decision the night before. On some mornings changing conditions require us to delay school first and then make a final  decision for the day before 8 AM. Power outages can happen at any time and without warning. We almost  never cancel or delay school due to power issues (see more below).

How are parents notified when school is delayed or canceled? 
Parents will be notified using  ParentSquare. Make sure you’ve downloaded the ParentSquare app. All parents will receive a text message  and an email unless the School Alert option in ParentSquare has been intentionally disabled. Parents may  also use the Flash Alert system. This third-party tool provides text and email alerts for many school districts.  A test alert for both systems will be sent next week.  School closure information is also available through local media sources on television, radio and online.

What options will the district consider when weather conditions are severe?

• Two-Hour Late Starts allow staff additional time to get to school and prepare the grounds and facilities (i.e., deicing, clearing sidewalks, etc.). Also, conditions and visibility often improve later in the morning. On Wednesday, “late start” days, weather-related delays will be one hour from the scheduled start time for students. There is no preschool or out-of-district transportation when schools are delayed.
• School Closure is necessary when the weather forecast and current conditions at 5:00 a.m. indicate that a late start is not possible. If a full day of school is canceled, we will make up the day later in the year.
• Closing School after it Starts. We try to avoid bringing students to school and then sending them back home. This decision is only made on the rare occasion when weather conditions change suddenly during the school day. We try to avoid this option whenever possible. Advanced notice will always be given with additional instructions for parents and students.

How are school buses affected when it is snowing or icy?  Most of the time, buses are able to use regular routes during winter storms. In some conditions, however, buses run on “snow routes” to avoid side streets where snow or ice may be more severe. Any changes will be communicated to parents in advance. If you have questions about bus routes, please call our transportation office at 253-566-5724.

What about after-school activities and events?  When school is closed, all after-school and evening activities will be canceled. When school is delayed, we will make a decision about after-school activities before 1 PM once we know more about the forecast and road conditions. Parents will receive additional notification during the day about these activities. 

What can families do to prepare for winter weather delays/closures?

Log into Family Access to confirm we have correct, up-to-date phone numbers and email addresses for your family. Sign up for Flash Alert, a tool that allows you to get updated weather and emergency information for local areas and for UPSD.

If your child rides a bus, please remember that pick-up and drop-off times may be impacted by snow, ice, or debris on roadways. Please visit the Transportation webpage for route and schedule updates or contact our Transportation Office at 253-566-5724.

If your child walks to school, please talk about the hazards of walking in snow, ice, and storm conditions, particularly if it is dark outside.

Lastly, be sure to make family plans for childcare should we need to delay or cancel school due to inclement weather.
 

This information was updated on 11/24/2025.