When emergency conditions such as snow and ice, windstorms or earthquakes result in school schedule changes, the district will use one of the plans outlined below.
Printable Emergency Operating Schedule
| Schools Closed |
Late Start |
Limited Bus Service |
The following are canceled:
- school
- Extended Day program
- all activities including athletic events and parent meetings
If conditions change during the day, special arrangements may be made for some activities. |
All schools start two hours late.
The following are canceled:
- Quest pull-out classes
- morning kindergarten
- before school band
- morning special education preschool
- morning Headstart
- out-of-district transportation
Dismissals at regular times unless otherwise announced. When necessary, early dismissal times are announced before noon. |
The district's transportation department sends out information each year, before school begins, about when and where your student will be picked up and dropped off when limited bus service is in effect. |
| A variation of these plans will be announced if necessary due to power failure or other conditions. Be sure to keep this information handy to help you understand the brief notifications you will hear over radio and television (see Printable Emergency Operating Schedule). |
Transportation during emergencies
Alternate bus routes
If there is snow and schools remains open or start late, the transportation department may decide to use snow routes. These routes enable buses to eliminate short sections of their regular routes that vehicles may not be able to negotiate safely in snow or icy conditions. Children walk to their assigned snow route bus stop, though parents always have the option to keep their student home if they believe it is unsafe.
Earthquake
In case of a major earthquake while students are on a school bus, drivers will receive specific instructions from the district via radio. If they are going to school, drivers will continue to pick up students on their routes and deliver them to the safety of their school. If roads limit travel, students will be transported to the nearest school. If a quake hits when buses are transporting children home from school, drivers will return to the school they came from or, if necessary, to the closest school. Children will stay at school until parents or designees arrive. Call your school for more information about its earthquake plan.
How to get information about school schedule changes
Lake Washington School District does all it can to communicate vital information to parents and students in emergency conditions due to severe weather conditions or disasters.
School district Web site or phone number
School schedule changes and emergency plans will be posted as soon as possible on the Lake Washington School District Web site at www.lwsd.org. Messages will also be recorded on the district’s main phone line: (425) 702-3200.
Public Schools Emergency Communication System – SchoolReport.org
Find up-to-the-minute information about emergency school closures at www.schoolreport.org. Also, sign up to receive e-mail alerts about school schedule changes.
Radio and TV announcements
Starting at 5:30 am, area radio and television stations will announce which plan the district will use. Plans will be updated if conditions change. No announcement means normal operation.
| AM Radio Stations |
FM Radio Stations |
TV Stations |
*KIRO 710
*KNWX 770
*KOMO 1000
*KMPS 1300
KVI 570
KCIS 630
KHHO 850
KIXI 880
KRKO 1380
KLAY 1180
KBSG 1210 |
*KMPS 94.1
KPLU 88.5
KSER 90.7
KVTI 90.9
KLSY 92.5
KUBE 93.3
KUOW 94.9
KJR 95.7
KYCW 96.5
KBSG 97.3
KIRO 100.7
KPLZ 101.5
KMTT 103.7
KKBY 104.9
KCMS 105.3
KRWM 106.9 |
KOMO – channel 4
KING – channel 5
KIRO – channel 7
KCPQ – channel 13 |
| *Most frequent announcements |
Learn more about school closure decisions, including how and why they are made.