A winter weather forecast and a potential for icy road conditions in the Mesilla Valley has prompted Las Cruces Public Schools to shift all classes to remote learning for Thursday, Feb. 3. If conditions persist, a decision for Friday will be made as soon as possible.
District officials consulted with the National Weather Service in Santa Teresa and met with the Doña Ana County Office of Emergency Management for an update on Thursday morning’s expected snowfall and sustained freezing temperatures. The priority of the district to keep students and staff safe made the decision swift, said district superintendent Ralph Ramos.
“Closing our buildings and ensuring students and staff do not have to travel on icy roads was a decision we needed to make sooner rather than later,” said Ramos. “We understand families and educators have to plan, and with our flexibility to go remote, this is what we need to do.”
Considerations for extending remote learning into Friday or announcing a delay are an option, according to Ramos. Parents are encouraged to check the district website, www.lcps.net, for updates as soon as they are available. Text message notifications will also be sent, along with push notifications using LCPS’s new app, available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play.
What Parents Should Know
Teachers were advised to send students home with any instructional material and technology, if possible, and to update Canvas for additional support. Secondary students are reminded to check their Canvas pages for assignments and communicate with teachers if necessary. Teachers will be available during designated times to meet with students via Zoom. Teachers will communicate these times to students and families.
Because buildings will be closed, there will be no meals prepared or available for pick up on Thursday.
A Quick Links Guide of digital resources for students and parents was distributed. It includes important LCPS links for technology assistance, Canvas login information and helpful community resources. The Quick Links Guide can be found here.
Rescheduled Events
Athletic events, practices and all school-sponsored activities have been postponed until further notice. An in-person campus visit for fifth graders going into sixth grade at Camino Real Middle School, originally scheduled for Thursday night, has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 7 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Testing Locations Closed
School buildings that were open as COVID-19 testing sites with Premier Medical Group and Curative will also be closed Thursday. District officials advise parents, students and staff to consult with the New Mexico Department of Health for available testing locations, which can be found here.
Additional Resources
Road conditions can be monitored anytime using the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s website, www.nmroads.com. The site contains helpful links for weather advisories and visitors can view cameras and digital message boards in the Las Cruces area and throughout the state.
The Doña Ana County Office of Emergency Management offers county residents information on emergency preparedness and additional resources in the event of inclement weather. Their website can be accessed here.