School Closings & Alerts

Overview

Northwest Education Services (North Ed) school closings are announced by 5:30 a.m. the day of the closure or as soon as possible.  

Current School Closings Across Northwest Michigan

Generally, North Ed will close all of its instructional programs when Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) closes for inclement weather. However, other closures initiated by TCAPS – whether due to staffing levels, illness or another reason – may not result in a closure for North Ed. Certain circumstances may also cause closures in individual North Ed program classrooms or centers. When North Ed closes an instructional program, our school community can expect to be notified in one or more of the following ways:

Website

If there is a cancelation or other urgent news alert, a pop-up window will be immediately visible when you visit the homepage of our website, www.NorthwestEd.org. This notice will contain information on whether the closing applies to the entire district or a more specific North Ed center or satellite program hosted at a local school district building.

Social Media

Closing information is posted to North Ed’s social media pages and will detail whether the closing is district-wide or a specific building or center. 

Phone 

School closures, urgent news alerts and other timely information is shared with our school community via SMS text messaging. All texts from North Ed will come from the number 67587. This service is provided through Intrado SchoolMessenger Solutions. We may also use this platform to make phone calls featuring a recorded message.

North Ed does not charge you for this service, though data rates and messaging fees may apply. Check with your wireless carrier for possible charges.

To participate in the text messaging service, phone numbers must be on file with your school's database (SEE NOTE BELOW). To enroll, text any one of the following words to the number 67587: subscribe, optin, or yes. Repeat the opt-in process for up to two wireless phone numbers that you wish to include. You’ll know you were successful if you receive the following reply message:

You’re registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply. Msg freq varies.

NOTE:  If your cell phone number is not on file with the school, you will not be able to receive text messages. Texting is limited to contact numbers tied to the district staff and student databases and not available to the general public. Texting the short code 67587 enters the phone number into SchoolMessenger's system, and confirms that the device is able to receive SMS texts, but many school districts use the 67587 short code. Ensuring the phone number is in our school database will connect that number to our contact lists. If you are unsure whether your phone number is on file, contact the school where your student is enrolled.


Email

In addition to other school news, North Ed also uses email to communicate school closings with our students and families. Other types of communications we generally share via email may relate to new protocols for your student’s school, positive developments in our school community or other general information pertaining to your child’s education.

If you have not received emails from us in the past, please contact your school’s administrator to ensure your correct email address is on file with us and you are able to receive messages. 

Media Outlets

Whenever a district-wide closure occurs, local TV and radio broadcast stations are alerted and asked to share that notification with their audiences. Two primary school cancelation resources are the local TV stations, which also maintain school closing websites:

Below are special conditions applying to our Career Tech and special education centers when your local school district is closed and North Ed remains open:

Career Tech

If Career Tech is open and the local district in which a student resides cancels school due to inclement weather, students may attend class, but must provide their own transportation to and from Career Tech. Attendance at Career Tech is not required when a student’s local school district is closed.

Special Education

If North Ed’s Special Education center-based programs are open and the local district in which a student resides cancels school due to inclement weather, transportation will not be provided. Parents may choose to transport their child to school; however, the parent is responsible for transportation at dismissal as well. For questions regarding busing for North Ed’s center-based programs, please call Dean Transportation at 231.922.5960. For other schools that provide transportation services, see the contact numbers below:

  • Glen Lake Schools:  231.334.3061 ext. 510
  • Leland Public School:  231.256.3807
  • Northport Public School:  231.386.5153
  • Suttons Bay Public Schools:  231.866.1822 or 231.866.0010

There may be instances where one or more of our centers close, and the rest of North Ed’s programming remains open for students. In those situations, we will reach out to school families via email and phone to let you know. 

All North Ed buildings will remain open on snow days for those who are required to report by the nature of their work, required by a supervisor, or prefer to report to the building they service. Staff may refer to the following guidelines for work on snow days, and contact their supervisor if they have any questions:

  • When snow causes Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) to declare a school closing, North Ed’s Special Education and Career & Technical instructional programs will also be closed.
  • When North Ed is closed due to weather, Services & Evaluations staff (itinerants) who serve other districts that remain open may travel if it is safe to do so. They may report to that district and adjust calendars accordingly, and must communicate with their supervisor and Human Resources (email Chrissi Martin at cmartin@NorthwestEd.org).
  • Instructional Services, Human Resources, Clerical, Technology, Business Services, Medicaid Office and Administrators who previously have been required to report to work in person, will be allowed to work remotely when North Ed programs are closed for inclement weather days if they have the materials needed to effectively do their job remotely and they have approval from their supervisor.