Emergency Closures & Delays

We make every effort to keep our schools open, but sometimes weather conditions require us to close for the safety of our students. Our top priority is ensuring that the more than 3,500 students we serve can get to school safely, whether they walk, take a bus, or ride in a car. Severe snow, wind chill, or extreme temperatures may lead to closures.

District 73 closely monitors weather conditions using the National Weather Service (www.weather.gov) and consults with neighboring district administrators when making closure decisions. If we decide to cancel school, we will notify District 73 families (parents, guardians, and staff) by 6:30 AM on the day of the closure. We often wait until the morning to make the final decision because Chicagoland weather can change quickly.

When snow or other circumstances require our schools to close, Hawthorn will provide information in several ways.

Note that when Hawthorn closes school, all other activities that take place in our buildings on that day are also cancelled. Examples of activities that will also be cancelled include after-school sports, clubs, Park District activities, concerts, Scout gatherings and parent meetings.

Sometimes, changing weather requires Hawthorn to cancel after-school activities only. That decision is generally made by 1:30 pm of the day in question, and is communicated via the district website. Once again, such an after-school cancellation will impact both Hawthorn and non-Hawthorn events that use our buildings, including sports, clubs, Park District activities, concerts, Scout gatherings and parent meetings.

Also note that the Hawthorn Afterschool Program on-site daycare generally stays open when all other after-school activities are cancelled. Please check directly with the child care provider for specific schedules, 847-996-6805.

• The decision to cancel school or after-school activities is taken very seriously and done with careful consideration. Hawthorn is in constant contact with surrounding school administrators, the bus company, our facilities team, and even local emergency responders in order to make the most informed decision possible. That said, weather patterns can shift substantially from meteorologists’ predictions. We urge parents to be proactive in monitoring the district website and other communications on days when the weather appears threatening so that you and your family can be properly informed.
• As a rule, Hawthorn will make every attempt to not dismiss school early because of the age of our students and the difficulty in ensuring that a parent or caregiver will be home if school is dismissed earlier than usual.
• Even if the schools are open, the final decision about a child’s attendance remains with the parent. A decision to close or open school cannot take into account every circumstance. We can best protect the safety and welfare of all students if parents take an active role in deciding what is best for their student with regard to attendance.
• Please keep in mind that any amount of snow or rain causes slower traffic. So even if the snowfall isn’t enough to cancel school, bus routes and traffic in general tend to take longer than usual.
• Finally, we encourage all neighbors to take a little extra time to shovel sidewalks and bus stops to help keep our students and all residents safer.