When is the Last Time Bozeman Schools Had a Snow Day?

Students in the Bozeman School District haven't had many opportunities to experience the wonders of a 'snow day.' For Bozeman students, it's rare that school is completely canceled.

In 2019, Manhattan and Belgrade canceled school and called for a "snow day', but in Bozeman, students had a 2-hour delayed start instead. The last time the District closed due to weather was over 30 years ago, in 1989.

We reached out to the Bozeman School District to get more information about what is required for school to get canceled.

According to Co-Superintendents Marilyn King and Casey Bertram, student and staff safety are top priorities and the school district considers all possible situations before making a decision.

The decision to close schools or keep them open has to be balanced between student safety and the hardship that is placed on parents who may be unable to find child care on short notice. All decisions are made with careful consideration of all students and families involved.

BSD7 officials monitor information from the local and national weather service. They are also in contact with local officials regarding road conditions and traffic safety.

In the past, when making decisions, we have actually driven bus routes early in the morning in order to determine where the major roads around town have been properly cleared and then confer with our transportation supervisor.

If the school schedule must be altered due to weather conditions, the district would notify families through school messenger, alert local media, and also place an alert on the district website and social media. The decision to alter the school schedule is made by the Superintendent.

We recognize that our District boundaries span much beyond the city limits.  We also know that weather and driving conditions vary greatly across our county. Even in poor weather when school is in session, we know that some parents may choose to keep their children at home because of driving conditions, which is understandable.  Such absences should be called in by parents and those absences would be excused. Students who miss school due to inclement weather are not penalized for this decision.

If school does happen to get canceled, the Bozeman School District says it does have the ability to “switch” to remote learning if need be.