Winter Weather Closings

In the event of severe winter weather conditions, such as heavy snowfall, icy roads, high winds, or extreme temperatures, it may be necessary for Riverbend to close for the day, delay the opening of school, or dismiss school early.

winter weather at riverbend

School administration makes school closure decisions based on various factors, including current weather conditions, forecasts, road conditions, and consultation with local authorities. We aim to make timely announcements to give parents and guardians ample time to plan for any necessary adjustments to their schedules. We understand that these situations can disrupt daily routines, and we want to assure you that any decision to alter the school schedule is made with the utmost consideration for everyone’s safety.

Communication Channels

When a decision regarding school closures is made, you will hear from the School via email and through Parent Alert text messages. In the event of inclement weather or incoming inclement weather, please be on the lookout for communication from Riverbend to ensure you do not miss an important update. If you’re having trouble with text alerts, please contact Sara Reagan, our Systems Administrator, at sreagan@rvbs.org to update your FACTS profile preference.

School Closings

Riverbend School tends to follow the Natick Public School closings for inclement weather, such as snow. However, due to the fact that our families and faculty come from a wide geographic area, we may make our decision independent of the Natick Public Schools.

Delayed Openings

Any delayed openings will be for full day students only; Toddler and Primary half day students will not attend school in the case of a delayed opening.

Early Dismissals

In some cases, early dismissals may be necessary to ensure the safe transportation of students. We will provide information about early dismissals as soon as possible and appreciate your cooperation in making timely arrangements for your child’s pick-up. Pick-up locations for early dismissals will be the same as regular dismissals EXCEPT:

  • Families with siblings in multiple divisions will default to the pick-up location of the youngest child. The school will send older siblings to Children’s House for pick-up.
  • All Children’s House dismissals will take place in the long (Primary) loop. This includes Toddlers. Upper Elementary students (who do not have siblings in Children’s House) will be dismissed at the Gym loop (not the small loop in front of Children’s House).
  • Early dismissals require coordinating pick-up in a way that is significantly different from our normal dismissals. We ask you for extra measures of patience on these days as we seek to dismiss all our students in as safe and swift a manner as possible. Thank you!

Power Outages

If there is an extended loss of power during school hours, families will be contacted through Parent Alert and they will be required to pick their child up as soon as possible. If the family cannot be reached, the school will contact the person(s) listed on the child’s emergency contact form. Once power is restored, families will be contacted through Parent Alert, and school will resume regular hours the next day.