Inclement Weather Closing and Delay Options

During inclement weather it sometimes becomes necessary for a decision to be made concerning the delaying or closing of schools. When a decision is made that schools will either be delayed or closed for the day, the announcement will be relayed quickly to all students, parents and staff. OCS is a county school system, so a decision to delay or close schools most likely will affect all schools throughout the district.

Please select the appropriate tab to see what the district's different delay/early release/closure options include for our students and staff.

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Due to inclement weather, the school system may announce a delayed start time. Typically, the Delayed Start would be for two hours, but, could be three hours. This means all staff and students should report to work or school exactly two (or three) hours later than the normal arrival time.

After school extracurricular activities can proceed as planned.

Exceptions:

• Onslow Virtual School (OVS) will operate on a normal schedule for students and all virtual staff. Staff that normally report face-to-face may observe the Delayed Start.
   
• Onslow Early College High School (OECHS) students in 9th and 10th grade will observe the Delayed Start. OECHS students in 11th and 12th grade will follow the schedule announced by Coastal Carolina Community College (CCCC).
   
• Due to the variety of two-/three-hour delay schedules at our different high schools, when a Delayed Start is announced, it is not possible to easily coordinate transportation to the Eastern NC Regional Skills Center (Skills Center). If OCS is operating on a two-/three-hour delay, no classes will be held at the Skills Center. Students who normally go directly to the Skills Center will need to report to their regularly assigned high school.
   
• Individual central office departments may request employees report at an earlier time based on the conditions and the essential nature of the work required.

Note: Parents with children attending the New River YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern North Carolina, or City of Jacksonville Recreation and Parks Before & After School Programs should check with their directors about how these programs will operate on days when OCS has a Delayed Start.

If travel conditions are expected to worsen during a school day, OCS may declare an early release time. Typically, the Early Release would be for two hours, but, could be three. This means all staff and students are approved to leave work or school exactly two (or three) hours earlier than the normal departure time.

After school extracurricular activities must be canceled or rescheduled.

Exceptions:

• Onslow Virtual School (OVS) will operate on a normal schedule for students and all virtual staff. Staff that normally report face-to-face may observe the Early Release.
   
• Onslow Early College High School (OECHS) 9th and 10th grade students will observe the OCS Early Release schedule. OECHS 11th and 12th grade students will follow Coastal Carolina Community College (CCCC) announcements.
   
• Individual central office departments may request employees remain at work based on the conditions and the essential nature of the work required.

An Optional Workday for Staff means school is closed for students, but employees can make a choice about reporting to work for a Teacher Workday. Employees (including long-term substitutes) may report to work or take leave.

All extracurricular activities must be canceled or rescheduled.

Exceptions: There is not work available for hourly employees including school bus drivers, monitors, school nutrition employees, tutors, or daily substitute employees on non-student days and they should not report to work on an Optional Workday for Staff. Hourly employees can use earned leave if available or will have a day without pay.

Note: An Optional Workday for Staff may be combined with a Delayed Start or Early Release depending upon conditions. It is preferred that all staff except hourly employees report to work on an Optional Workday for Staff, but, employees should make a safe decision based upon travel conditions at their location.

With OCS students having access to remote learning tools, the school system may announce a Remote Learning Day instead of closing schools for students. This will be the preferred option, because it maximizes instructional time, and will prevent students and staff from having to make up the missed day(s) later, on dates not originally planned as instructional days.

When there is the possibility of inclement weather in the forecast, students, staff, and families should plan ahead to expect a Remote Learning Day rather than a school closure.

On a Remote Learning Day all teachers, including long-term substitutes, are expected to deliver any classes which can be provided remotely. School administrators will have a procedure in place to take attendance for teachers and students.

All extracurricular activities must be canceled or rescheduled.

For all other staff, the day will become an Optional Workday for Staff. On a Remote Learning Day there is not a remote work (work from home) procedure for anyone other than teachers who have regularly scheduled classes they can teach online.

There may still be situations where the duration, intensity or aftermath of an event requires the school system to close for staff and students. For example, a tropical storm or hurricane may produce widespread power outages and flooding making remote learning impossible and travel unsafe for staff. In these cases, OCS may announce a Closure for Staff and Students.

All extracurricular activities must be canceled or rescheduled.

Staff members may take accumulated leave, as appropriate. Depending on the specific circumstances, make up days may be scheduled for students and/or staff as necessary.