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Broken Arrow Public Schools is committed to the safety and wellbeing of its students and staff. In the event of inclement weather, there are five snow days built into the instructional calendar, meaning if the district does not use any snow days, the last day of school will be five days sooner. In certain circumstances or emergencies, distance learning may still be used.

The following information explains how closure decisions are made and how families/staff can get the most current information possible:

How are decisions made to cancel school?

When deciding whether to close schools, a number of factors are taken into consideration, including the amount of snow fall, condition of residential and thoroughfare roads, temperature, and the ability to clear parking lots and sidewalks. District administrators closely monitor local forecasts at the first announcement of severe weather, while also personally traveling the roads in various areas of the district. If school is closed, all after-school activities, including sports and evening events, will also be canceled.

How are parents notified when school is canceled?

Closure information will be sent to parents/guardians and employees by telephone and email using our automated messenger system, SchoolMessenger. It will also be posted to the district’s website, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram (@baschools) and shared with local television stations.

What options will the district consider when weather conditions are severe?

Severe Weather (Thunderstorms/Tornadic Storms/Heavy Snow/Ice)

• If strong storms are indicated on radar, the following actions may be taken:
  • Release students normally
  • Hold students in the school sites and delay bus dismissal
  • Canceling bus dismissal and holding students for parents to retrieve
• Families and staff will be notified via SchoolMessenger of any changes to normal release procedures.

Flooding

• The transportation department has maps of flood prone areas within the district and will monitor those areas during times of heavy rain or flooding.
• Communication will be generated to sites where flooding may affect a student’s ability to attend school in person so that arrangements can be made and absences excused.
• A communication via SchoolMessenger will be generated by transportation to alert parents of delays or if we are unable to access their student’s bus stops. 

Winter Weather (Snow/Ice)

• When winter weather is forecasted, the transportation department will begin checking bus routes at 3 a.m.
• In most cases, the district makes the final decision to cancel school no later than 5:30 a.m. on the school day under consideration. The decision is made on a day-to-day basis after weather and road conditions have been assessed. If school is closed, all after-school activities, including sports and evening events, will also be canceled.
• The decision to close due to snow/ice will be reported first on local news stations and the district’s social media outlets. A communication via SchoolMessenger will be sent no earlier than 6 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school site.

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich and diverse culture, traditions and contributions of indigenous people. To celebrate, Broken Arrow Public Schools’ Indian Education department is hosting their annual cultural night (download flier) with food and crafts on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Oneta Ridge Middle School located at 6800 E. Quincy Place. This event is free and open to the public. <view more information>

“We are excited to invite native and non-native students and their families to attend this wonderful event,” said BAPS Indian Education Coordinator Rich Pawpa. “It serves as an opportunity to educate one another about the various Native American tribes that have graced U.S. land while raising awareness about the many challenges Native Americans have and still face.”

For more information, please contact the Indian Education department at 918-259-5749 or email Becky Bishop at rbishop@baschools.org.

The district’s child nutrition department will be awarding two employees, one at the elementary level and one at the secondary, with the Best Apple Award in December. This recognition program will be based on attendance and public nomination.

Interested in sharing why you think your school’s child nutrition worker is the best of the best? Students, families and staff currently have the opportunity to send submissions to cnintern@baschools.org by Friday, Dec. 1.  

If you have questions, please contact the child nutrition department at 918-259-4565.

The district’s child nutrition department developed a program called Love Accounts in which patrons can donate funds to anonymously help students struggling with food insecurity.

Whether it is a one-time donation or if patrons decide to give monthly, a donation of any size helps make a difference.

Patrons can choose which school and/or student they’d like to help. These donations can be done by cash, check or through MySchoolBucks’ online payment option (instructions for online donation). Please call the child nutrition office at 918-259-4565 to make a cash or check donation.

To highlight the district’s progress both inside and outside of the classroom, the district’s communications team partnered with financial services to create Broken Arrow Public Schools’ Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. 

This report combines district highlights and accomplishments from the previous year as well as financial information that is designed to be readily accessible and easily understandable to the general public without a background in public finance.

Questions, comments and feedback regarding this report are encouraged, so please do not hesitate to contact the district at 918-259-5700.

On Nov. 14, voters overwhelmingly approved all four questions on the 2023 bond issue. Superintendent Chuck Perry has a special thank you message for our families, staff and community members.