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Weather Delays & Closings

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While our school resides in Garden City and generally follows the decisions made by that school district, please remember that we serve students from dozens of districts across Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn. We are keenly aware that any determination to close school or delay its opening can cause great inconvenience to our parents and guardians; therefore, we strive to make appropriate decisions and communicate them as quickly as possible to our community, keeping the safety of our students and their families as our primary concern.

Parents are notified about School closings or delayed openings via the telephone broadcast system and a text if you have opted in to the text messaging system. If you do not receive a phone call, please contact the Main Office (516-742-3434). Parents have several other methods for staying updated regarding the status of school on any given day:

  • Check www.news12.com “Closings & Delays” for up to the minute information regarding the Waldorf School and other Long Island school districts.
  • Visit www.waldorfgarden.org; any change to the regular school day is immediately posted as a pop-up message on our homepage.
  • Check social media platforms @waldorfgarden.

Please note the Waldorf School has implemented a 2-hour Delayed Opening process which has several important considerations:

  • Main Lesson for Lower and High School students begins at 10:10 am, and the school day ends at the regular 3:20 pm* dismissal time.
  • Bus companies respond to decisions made by the individual school district. Therefore, it is possible that when the Waldorf School has a delayed opening, other school districts may be closed or open for a regular school day, thereby causing difficulty with your child’s transportation. Please confirm with your individual bus company how they handle such situations and consider transportation alternatives on delayed opening days.
  • Children should bring their lunch, as the cafeteria may not be able to provide meals. Whenever possible, the cafeteria will provide soup and/or sandwiches on these days.
  • The School has limited faculty and staff available for supervision of children who must arrive at 8:10 am* on delayed opening days due to bus or parent schedules. Students will have quiet study time or play activities until the 10:10 am start of Main Lesson in their individual classroom.

*Please note that school hours have been modified for the 2020-21 school year in response to accommodations needed for a safe year during the COVID-19 crisis. Please check with the school for the modifications that apply to each grade.

While it is our hope that the number of “snow days” will be limited, our goal is to be prepared for whatever the weather may bring! Should you have any questions regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact the school.