How to Learn of School Cancellations 

The winter weather season is here, so parents are encouraged to stay connected with the district in several ways to learn of school cancellations.

When the chance for severe or inclement weather looms, we will only post the cancellation of school, athletic events and other activities. We will not post when school, athletic events and activities are proceeding as scheduled.

If school is canceled due to snow or bad weather, the information will be available in these ways:

• Notification to parents and staff via text and email information on file
• Local television and radio stations
• District website — http://www.olatheschools.org
• Facebook — go to "Olathe Public Schools"
• Twitter — look for "Olathe Schools"
• By calling the district information line, 913-780-8000

Any parent who is in the district's system, and who has included a cell phone number, will receive a text message in case of the cancellation of school. If there has been a change in a parent's phone number or email address since enrollment, please notify the child's school. Read our Inclement Weather FAQs for more details.

Inclement Weather Procedures — Options A, B and C

View the chart for Inclement Weather Procedures Options A, B and C or read below for a detailed explanation of each procedure.

(Vea el cuadro de procedimientos en Español) 

Plan A Inclement Weather Procedures — No School

• All district facilities are closed.
• Facility rental is canceled.
• Johnson County Parks and Recreation daycare is closed.
• Students do not report to school.
• Activities:
  • Decisions on high school activities will be made later in the day.
  • No elementary or middle school activities or athletics.
• Certified and classified staff do not report to work. Facilities, grounds, maintenance, custodial and food service staff report to work as directed by their supervisor.

Plan B Inclement Weather Procedures — No School

• All district facilities are closed.
• Facility rental is canceled.
• Johnson County Parks and Recreation daycare is open at Forest View Elementary, Indian Creek Elementary, Mahaffie Elementary, Meadow Lane Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Elementary and Sunnyside Elementary (2024-25 school year). Participants must be pre-registered in the Inclement Weather Day Childcare Program to attend (for current OST participants only).
• Students do not report to school.
• Activities:
  • Decisions on high school activities will be made later in the day.
  • No elementary or middle school activities or athletics.
• Staff:
  • Do not report to work: school building certified or classified staff.
  • Report to work (as directed by supervisor): facilities, grounds, maintenance, custodial, food service staff.
  • Work remotely (or as directed by the superintendent): Education Center, Technology Support Center, Instructional Resource Center certified and classified staff; building principals and assistant principals; building and district secretaries may work remotely per administrator request.

Plan C Inclement Weather Procedures — Two-Hour Delayed Start 

• All district facilities are open two hours later than normal.
• Facility rental is open.
• Johnson County Parks and Recreation daycare is open in the morning from 9-11 a.m. and during normal afternoon hours.
• Students report to school two hours later than their original start time. Staff report two hours later than their original report time (unless otherwise noted by supervisor).
  • High School, Olathe Transition Support Program (OTSP), Prairie Learning Center:
    • 9:40 a.m.- 2:40 p.m. (Staff report at 9:15 a.m.)
  • Middle School:
    • 10:20 a.m.-3:20 p.m. (Staff report at 9:40 a.m.)
  • Elementary School:
    • 10:55 a.m.- 3:55 p.m. (Staff report at 10:15 a.m.)
    • Morning early childhood classes are canceled.
    • Afternoon early childhood classes attend as regularly scheduled. 
  • Heartland Early Childhood Center:
    • 10:20 a.m. – 3:20 p.m. (Staff report at 9:40 a.m.)
    • Morning early childhood classes are canceled. 
    • Afternoon early childhood classes attend as regularly scheduled. 
    • Full-day Head Start classes follow the delayed start schedule.
  • Harmony Early Childhood Center:
    • 10:55 a.m. -3:55 p.m. (Staff report at 10:15 a.m.)
    • Morning early childhood classes are canceled. 
    • Afternoon early childhood classes attend as regularly scheduled. 
    • Full-day Head Start classes follow the delayed start schedule.
• Breakfast service will not be provided on delayed start days due to arrival times being so close to lunch. Lunch service will be provided as close to the normal time as possible.
• Activities:
  • All student trips leaving prior to noon are canceled.
  • All morning practices and before school activities are canceled.
  • Decisions on after-school athletics and activities will be made later in the day.
• Transportation:
  • All pick-up times are delayed by two hours. Please note that bus schedules on the Stopfinder bus app will not reflect the two-hour delay.
  • All drop-off times will run on the normal schedule. 
  • Parochial and work site shuttles scheduled prior to noon are canceled (i.e. Crews, OTSP).
  • Transportation for partner schools is delayed by two hours (Lake Mary, Kansas School for the Deaf etc.).

No Early Dismissal

If school is in session when deteriorating weather conditions are present, regular dismissal time will be observed rather than dismissing students early from school. District administrators are mindful of safety issues such as transportation, particularly for those students who normally ride the bus or are driven to and from school; lack of supervision at home because of an unscheduled dismissal; and the uncertainty of sending children away from a protected school environment and out into hazardous weather conditions.