Online alert for school closures

Parents can check online whether schools are open

In a new solution to an old problem, an internet site is warning parents in the United States of school closures during the winter.

The approach of winter will mean snow in large areas of the country and the closure of schools at short notice - and to prevent children making an unnecessary journey, a website is providing details of closures.

This means that whenever the weather is threatening to snow, parents can check online before leaving home - saving the logistical complications of parents having to get through to an overcrowded school phone line or for the school to get in touch with every parent.

The cancellations.com website, based in Pennsylvania, offers a range of weather warning services, which users can search by keying in a postcode.

Preventing hoaxes

Organisations which could be affected by bad weather, including local government and businesses, send information about closures to be published on the website.

School administrators are given a code to allow them to post details - protecting the website from being misused by pupils seeking to put out a hoax closure warning.

As well as cancellations.com, which provides its warning service for free, school districts have also begun using their internet sites as a place for parents to check for closures during winter.

For instance, the St Paul public schools service in Minnesota, is offering an online alert for parents this winter, allowing parents to key in their postcode and see if their local schools are facing closure.