Weather Delays/Closings

When emergencies, such as weather conditions or power failures require the delay or closing of school notice is given as early when possible. Weather closings and delay notices are usually made by 6:00 a.m. Typically, when school is cancelled, after-school and evening activities are also cancelled.

Dr. Steinhauer's School Weather Delay/Closing Procedures for 2022-2023

November 1, 2022

Dear Mt. Lebanon School District Families, 

As we approach the cold weather season, I’d like to remind you about our emergency weather procedures. When I make the decision to delay the start of school, close school, or move to remote instruction, it is always with student safety as my primary concern. We know that weather is very unpredictable, and conditions may vary throughout our community. There is no exact amount of snow, temperature, wind chill, or weather condition that dictates when to delay, cancel, or move to remote instruction. Generally, I carefully review multiple weather forecasts, consult with the Mt. Lebanon Police and Fire Departments, gather reports from our plowing crews, and make firsthand observations in some of our neighborhoods to make an informed decision.  

Generally, when school buildings are closed due to weather, all students will learn via remote instruction. However, there may be limited situations where we need to cancel school completely (e.g., loss of power in the community.) These school day(s) will be made up as noted on the District calendar. Students enrolled in Waterfront Asynchronous Learning will continue their instruction according to their typical schedule.

When conditions require a school delay, closing, or remote instruction, you will receive a call or text from our Phone Alert System. Delay, closing, or remote instruction information is also announced on the website at www.mtlsd.org, District social media (Facebook, Twitter), and local cable TV stations. Typically, when school is canceled, after-school and evening activities are canceled, but always check the website for up-to-date information. 

The best way to be alerted to changes in the school schedule is through the District's Phone Alert System. You can receive an automated phone call or text to the primary phone number you have listed in Dashboard. Only one call per family is made. Calls are typically made no later than 10:00 p.m. and no earlier than 6:00 a.m. On rare occasions, I may need to change the decision after 6:00 a.m. due to a significant change in weather conditions. 

Your caller ID will display “Mt. Lebanon School District” and the District’s main number of 412-344-2000. To opt into text alerts and update your preferences, please refer to this Mt. Lebanon SMS Alert Guide. 

The success of this system depends on accurate contact information obtained from school records. If your information has changed, please update your contact information in the Dashboard or ask the building secretary to update your files.

There is always going to be snow, cold, and inclement weather in Western Pennsylvania. There may be days when school will be in session when the roads may be snow-covered, and the temperature is cold. On those days, we all need to walk and drive with caution and make sure that our children are appropriately dressed for the cold weather. As always, please use your best judgment regarding the weather conditions in your neighborhood. 

Thank you for your help and patience during this winter season. 

Sincerely, 

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D. 

Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Steinhauer's Updated Two-Hour Delay Model Communication

January 10, 2023

Dear Families,

After careful consideration, the Mt. Lebanon School District is immediately implementing an actual two-hour delay model when a school delay is necessary.  This two-hour delay model is helpful for our families who have students in multiple buildings and also aids in our transportation efforts and campus traffic during the crucial entry period each morning.

In the event of a two-hour delay, the following student arrival times will now be implemented:

High School: 10:00 a.m.

Middle School: 10:00 a.m.

Elementary School: 10:30 a.m.

  • AM Kindergarten: 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

  • PM Kindergarten: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Going forward, you will notice this new delay language on our official announcements. (e.g., text and phone alerts, official District social media accounts, District website, television notifications)

When emergencies, such as weather conditions or power failures require the delay or closing of school, notice is given as early as possible. Additional information regarding such delays and closures can be found in the letter I sent you in November, accessible here.

Sincerely, 

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D. 

Superintendent of Schools

Parent and Guardian Notification

In the event of a school delay or closing, parents will receive a phone call from the District's Emergency Phone Alert System to the primary phone number listed with the school. Only one call per family is made. Calls are usually made no later than 10:00 p.m. and no earlier than 6:00 a.m. On rare occasions, there may be a need to delay or cancel school after 6:00 a.m. or change a delay to a cancellation when there is a question about road conditions or extreme cold. Parents will be notified by phone if this becomes necessary. Your caller ID will display “Mt. Lebanon School District” and the District’s main number of 412-344-2000. The success of this system depends on accurate contact information obtained from school records. If your information has changed, please update your phone numbers in the Dashboard or by contacting the building secretary.

Kindergarten Schedule for a 10:00 a.m. Start

On days when a two-hour delay is called, morning kindergarten will be in session from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and afternoon kindergarten will be in session from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Information Sources for a Delay or Closing

· MTLSD website: www.mtlsd.org
· School District Cable Channels 19 (Comcast) and 33 (Verizon)
· Mt. Lebanon Public Access Channels 7(Comcast) and 35 (Verizon)
· KDKA TV and www.kdka.com; WPXI TV and www.wpxi.com; WTAE TV and www.thepittsburghchannel.com
· KDKA Radio 1020 AM

Flexible Instructional Days (FIDs)

In accordance with State regulations regarding Flexible Instructional Days (FIDs), the District must first utilize the school cancellation make-up day that is included in the District calendar before a FID can be declared. If there is a need to cancel school for any reason, e.g., snow or cold, prior to the the make-up day in the calendar, that day will be made up as a normal school day on the snow make-up day built into the calendar.  All other school cancellations will be made up at the end of the school year as noted on the District calendar unless a Flexible Instructional Day is called.

  • A Flexible Instructional Day may be used for a weather or building emergency that requires us to close our schools, while providing instruction virtually to our students rather than in the classroom.

  • In the event of a weather emergency, the District plans to implement FIDs when school is cancelled due to extreme cold.  

  • You will be notified of a Flexible Instructional Day in the same way you receive notification of delayed starts and cancellations (text, call and/or email) with the message “Schools Closed-Flexible Instructional Day.” 

  • These days will count as a full day of school and will not have to be rescheduled later in the year.  

  • For more information see our FID FAQ Sheet.