Flexible Instructional Days to continue through Friday; Buildings reopening Thursday

The North Hills School District will hold Flexible Instructional Days for the remainder of this week, Thursday, Jan. 29, and Friday, Jan. 30, due to ongoing safety and transportation concerns caused by significant remaining snow, and forecasted subzero wind chill temperatures.

While crews continue to make progress, many roads remain narrowed by snowbanks, and numerous sidewalks and bus stops are still snow covered. In some areas, roads have been reduced to a single lane, creating challenges for bus navigation, particularly on narrower streets and in tighter neighborhoods. Extremely cold temperatures further increase safety concerns for students walking to and waiting at bus stops.

In addition, snow accumulation will likely result in slower-than-normal bus routes, as travel through roads and intersections may take longer than usual. These delays would require students to remain outside at bus stops for extended periods of time, which is not safe given the forecast.

After much thought and careful consideration, we have determined that we cannot safely transport students under these conditions. While we recognize this decision presents challenges for families, holding Flexible Instructional Days is necessary to ensure student safety.

All district buildings will reopen tomorrow morning to staff, and after-school events and activities are permitted to proceed as scheduled. This includes the North Hills Middle School musical, "The Music Man Jr.," with performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings continuing as planned. Please note that individual teams or groups may choose to cancel or postpone activities; any changes will be communicated directly by the coach or sponsor.

As a reminder, there is no transportation on Flexible Instructional Days, including transportation to and from non-public and charter schools. A.W. Beattie will also hold Flexible Instructional Days on Thursday and Friday.

We extend our sincere thanks to our district maintenance teams, as well as crews in Ross Township and West View, for their tireless efforts. We also appreciate the continued support of ABC Transit and thank our families for their continued flexibility and understanding this week.

As we look toward next week, we anticipate slower-than-normal bus routes as snow removal continues. Families are reminded to dress students appropriately, knowing that buses may be delayed, and to use the closest safe location if a bus stop is not accessible.

Flexible Instructional Day Reminders

On a Flexible Instructional Day (FID), teaching and learning is asynchronous through Google Classroom and does not include live lessons. Teachers work the same hours as a regular school day and can be reached via email or through Class Dojo at the elementary level. Teacher email addresses can be found in PowerSchool under the Grades and Attendance tab or from the main dashboard in the PowerSchool app.

All students must complete this online virtual attendance form to confirm attendance. Students must be logged into their NHSD Google account to access the form. Students can navigate to www.nhsd.net/FID from their district iPad or laptop and click the attendance link. This will ensure students are logged into their NHSD Google account and attendance is accurately recorded. The attendance form must be submitted on the FID between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. and not earlier.

All work and assignments should be completed and submitted as instructed by teachers. Please contact your teacher(s) if you need special accommodations or an extenuating circumstance arises, such as a power outage. All questions should be directed to your child’s teacher(s).