School Closings and Delays
School Closings and Delays
For various reasons, inclement weather or other factors may require the Poughkeepsie City School District to delay the beginning of the school day, release early, cancel after-school activities or close entirely in the best interest of its students and staff. Messages altering the start of the school day are typically sent by 5:30 a.m. or earlier. It’s important that families know where to find this information and how it may impact arrival or departure times.
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When there is a closure, delay, early release or any other disruption to the regular school schedule, the Poughkeepsie City School District will send a message through ParentSquare’s automated calling system, as well as a written email and text message through the ParentSquare system.
All district families have access to the ParentSquare system and will receive these messages if their contact information is updated with the district. Families who have downloaded and use the ParentSquare app find that route is often the most direct way to receive information. Learn more about ParentSquare on this page.
You can update your contact information through the Infinite Campus portal or update your ParentSquare communication preferences at the ParentSquare website. If you do not yet have the ParentSquare app, download it in the Apple Store or the Google Play Store.
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All alerts regarding changes to the regular school day will be posted to the district and school websites homepages. Alerts appear as pop-up messages the first time you see them, and later appear as orange exclamation point icons on the right of the screen.
These changes often are also posted as a news update that will appear lower on the homepages.
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Important messages such as schedule changes are also communicated to the community through ParentSquare through its Community Square function. All residents, regardless of if they have students in the district, can sign up to receive Community Square notifications. Learn more on this page.
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Information about school closings will be provided to the following:
- 92.1 Lite FM WRNQ
- 107.3 Country WRWD
- 96.1 Kiss FM WPKF
- 1450 AM WKIP
- 93.3 Star/1370 AM WBWZ
- 99.33 Country WRWC
- 101.5 WPDH
- 92.7 & 96.9 WRRV
- 94.3 & 97.3 WOLF
- 100.1 WDST
- 100.7 WHUD
- 104.7 WSPK
- 101.5/106.7/97.7 WPDH
- 100.7 FM WHUD
- 1260 AM WBNR
- 1420 AM WLNA
- 107.1 FM WXPX
- 92.9 FM WBPM
- WRNN-TV
- WNBC-TV Channel 4
- WNYW-Fox TV Channel 5
- WABC-TV Channel 7
- Hudson Valley Closing
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The district makes every effort to avoid emergency early dismissals. In the event of an emergency early dismissal, no elementary, middle, or high school student will be released until contact has been made with a parent or approved emergency contact person. Therefore, it is very important that all students’ emergency cards have accurate and updated information. Student emergency cards should be updated annually and whenever contact information changes.
Emergency and Giveback Days for 2025-26
When making the academic calendar each year, the Poughkeepsie City School District budgets for five emergency closure days. If fewer are used, there are pre-determined “giveback” days that would become days off for students and staff. If more than five are used, there is a plan for which scheduled days off would become school days. See those plans and the progress this year to the right.
How morning weather-related decisions are made
At approximately 4:30 a.m., the superintendent of schools consults with the director of facilities, Fleet Weather Forecasting Services, and other school Superintendents in surrounding districts to make a final decision by 5:30 a.m. as to whether schools will remain open or close during bad weather. Factors the superintendent considers includes: weather conditions, both existing and predicted; driving, traffic and parking conditions affecting public and private transportation facilities; actual occurrence or imminent possibility of any emergency condition that would make the operation of the school difficult or dangerous; and inability of teaching personnel to report for duty, which might result in inadequate supervision of students. See the district policy on closures here.
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Day No. 1: Dec. 2, 2025
Day No. 2: Jan. 26, 2026
Day No. 3: Jan. 27, 2026
Day No. 4: Feb. 23, 2026 -
If one giveback day is needed: April 6, 2026
If two giveback days are needed: May 26, 2026
If three giveback days are needed: May 27, 2026
If four giveback days are needed: May 28, 2026
If five giveback days are needed: May 29, 2026
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First possible makeup day: Jan. 2, 2026
Second possible makeup day: March 30, 2026
Third possible makeup day: March 31, 2026
Fourth possible makeup day: April 1, 2026
Fifth possible makeup day: April 2, 2026
School Start times on Delayed Days, Early Releases
Below, take a look at what times district schools open and release under various circumstances.
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(Sojourner Truth and Krieger elementary schools)
Regular arrival time: 8:30 a.m.
One-hour delay arrival time: 9:30 a.m.
Two-hour delay arrival time: 10:30 a.m.
Three-hour delay arrival time: 11:30 a.m.Regular dismissal: 3:01-3:10 p.m.
Half day or weather dismissal: 11:45 a.m.
Early release dismissal: 1 p.m. -
(Clinton, Smith and Warring elementary schools)
Regular arrival time: 7:45 a.m.
One-hour delay arrival time: 8:45 a.m.
Two-hour delay arrival time: 9:45 a.m.
Three-hour delay arrival time: 10:45 a.m.Regular dismissal: 2:10-2:20 p.m.
Half day or weather dismissal: 11 a.m.
Early release dismissal: 12:15 p.m. -
Regular arrival time: 7:30 a.m.
First period begins: 8:05 a.m.
One-hour delay arrival time: 9:05 a.m.
Two-hour delay arrival time: 10:05 a.m.
Three-hour delay arrival time: 11:05 a.m.Regular dismissal: 2:55 p.m.
Half day or weather dismissal: 11:30 a.m.
Early release dismissal: 1 p.m. -
First period begins: 7:45 a.m.
One-hour delay arrival time: 8:45 a.m.
Two-hour delay arrival time: 9:45 a.m.
Three-hour delay arrival time: 10:45 a.m.Regular dismissal: 2:40 p.m.
Half day or weather dismissal: 11:24 a.m.
Early release dismissal: 12:40 p.m.