'Snow Day' school communications

Tips to plan your snow day communications effectively.

When snow is forecast, school leaders must decide what and when to communicate with families in case of a ‘snow day’. What might seem like a routine announcement can, when done well, significantly build trust, support and safety with families and the community. 

Be prepared and clear: Use a well-thought-out communication plan to ensure your message is clear and concise. Parents need to know the closure status, expected timelines for updates, and how to find more information. Your plan should include details of each message, what you hope to achieve (and how you’ll know you’ve been successful), who you will send it to, when and how you’ll send it and who (from your school team) will send it. Here is an example you could use as a basis.

Lead with empathy and be inclusive: Snow days impact families differently. Acknowledge the challenges, whether it’s managing childcare or navigating difficult commutes, and show understanding in your tone. Think about parents who might face barriers such as language or limited tech access. Provide translations where needed, and supplement digital communication with other formats. See this article for some ideas to make your school communication more inclusive.

Embrace technology: A mix of text alerts, email, social media, and school apps

can ensure your message reaches everyone. Test your systems ahead of time and ensure everyone at your school knows their roles in the communication chain. Make use of a consistent traffic light system (red for urgent, amber for important, green for informational updates) to prioritise and decide how messages should be sent.

Support two-way communication: Offer channels for parents to ask questions or express concerns and be clear by when they should expect a response. For example, have an automatic response that parents receive when they send an email to the main school inbox that says, ‘If your message is urgent, please contact x. Otherwise we will try to respond to you within 24 hours.’ This builds trust and allows you to address gaps in understanding quickly.

Effective communication during events like snow days demonstrates your school’s commitment to transparency, care, and collaboration.

Find out how well you are engaging parents by completing this free self-assessment. You’ll then be able to understand where to focus your energy and achieve results.

Take a look at The Four Pillars of Parental Engagement book to develop your school’s planned, sustained approach to parental engagement so pupils can be at their best.