— Please read this article in full —

First and foremost, please know that Granite School District aims to keep schools open whenever possible. Snow storms are a reality in the Salt Lake Valley, and though winter weather may present challenges, start time delays and distance learning days are rare. If you do not receive a notification of any kind of a start time delay or distance learning day, plan on school being open.

We trust parents to make the ultimate call when it comes to their child’s safety. Not all streets are plowed at the same time, and snow totals may differ from region to region. If you do not think it is safe to send or take your kids to school during inclement weather, please keep them home. School officials will be lenient regarding tardiness and absences during inclement weather.

Considerations for School Closures 

Prior to and during a snowstorm, we receive up-to-date reports on road conditions, bus transportation capability, and the status of our buildings. We will keep schools open if these reports indicate we can safely transport children, and open and operate our buildings. Additionally, as we see severe winter weather conditions in the forecast, schools are prepared to utilize technology for distance learning in lieu of a snow day.

In the event we do call for an official closure due to weather, under state law we are required to make up that missed day during the current school year. By enacting delayed starts or distance learning, we are able to meet the needs of students without taking away a scheduled day off.

Again, if you do not receive a notification of any kind of a start time delay or distance learning day, plan on school being open. You can check the status of your child’s school bus using the Here Comes the Bus app, available on The App Store and Google Play. This app shows the real-time location of your bus on a map, gives scheduled and actual arrival times for both home and school routes, and provides push and email notifications when the bus is near.

Here’s how to sign up:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app from The App Store or Google Play.
2. Tap Sign Up, then tap Continue.
3. Tap I have the Code.
4. Enter your email address, first name, last name, and school district code (29318). Accept the Terms and Conditions and tap Continue.
5. Tap Confirm if Granite School District is displayed.
6. Create your password.
7. If successful, you will see a Thank You screen. From here, check your email inbox for a message from noreply@synovia.com. Open the email and click Activate My Account. Once completed, close the browser link. You may now open the app and sign in with your email address and newly created password.

Are you getting our emergency text alerts? 

Some parents may have initiated this block not realizing that they were blocking all district text messaging.  Text messaging is the primary avenue for reaching parents during emergency situations, i.e. Weather closures or delays, and emergency protocol (lockout, lockdown, evacuation). If you have blocked this form of messaging and would like to start receiving messages again, please follow the instructions below:

• Phone calls: Call the Finalsite Phone Hotline at “855-502-STOP (855-502-7867)” from the phone line that has been opted out.
• Text (SMS) messages: Reply “START” to “60680” from the phone line that has been opted out for non-emergency messages. Reply “START” for emergency messages.