Some closings due to poor road conditions, weather, or any other unsafe situation are inevitable and should be planned for. The district will communicate closings as early as possible, the night before if possible or in the morning prior to 5:45 AM.
All parents are automatically signed up to receive school notifications and will be contacted by phone and via email using the contact information the school has on record.
Additionally, school closing information will be posted to the school website, facebook and twitter - we will notify local TV and radio stations as well (on the radio listen for #850).
Radio announcements will be made only if school will be closed or if the starting time is to be delayed. If a delayed starting time is announced, continue to listen to the station until your child leaves home for the bus. Occasionally, weather conditions worsen and it becomes necessary to close school after a delayed opening has been announced. Radio stations will not announce schools that are open. This means that "No Announcement" indicates that the school will be open as usual. Students who attend the Vo-Tech School at Coatesville will be expected to attend school if the UCF Schools are in session.
If it becomes necessary to close school early during the school day, an announcement of this will be made by the same stations as soon as possible. If both parents work, or if it is possible that your child may arrive home alone, it is suggested that you discuss these situations with your child now. During emergency dismissals of this nature, the high and middle school children will be dismissed first and the elementary school children last, unless otherwise announced. This arrangement will decrease the likelihood of having younger children at home alone. Morning Kindergarten classes will be sent home on the elementary busses. If the district schools are closed for the day, or close early, all district-operated transportation, including the transportation of nonpublic students, will follow the same schedule.
Information will also be available via the district's web site, social media and via email. Parents of students are automatically signed-up to receive e-mail announcements such as School Closings.
In the event of a Two hour Delay, Bus Pickup times will be two hours later than your regularly scheduled time.
In the event of a Three hour Delay, Bus Pickup times will be three hours later than your regularly scheduled time.
The decision whether to open school on time, to call for a delayed opening, or to cancel school altogether is made by the Superintendent based on data received by Accu-Weather, the Chester County Intermediate Unit, state and local police, municipal authorities, and the U-CFSD Transportation and Operations Departments. Data is also provided as staff members, including the Superintendent, test drive the roads. The Superintendent also consults with administrators in neighboring districts for data sharing. The final decision is generally made between 5:00-5:30 AM. In rare, extreme circumstances the decision may be made the night prior to the closure.
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District will be in session when the weather and road conditions allow for safe and timely bus transportation for student riders. Should road and weather conditions warrant a delayed opening or a closure, notice of a change in school hours will be posted on the district email and website, and broadcast on area radio and television stations.
The following times and language will be used to describe kindergarten schedules. We have adjusted the language to be in line with area news agency terminology when announcing inclement weather delays and closures.