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First and foremost, please know that Granite School District aims to keep schools open whenever possible. Snow storms are a reality in the Salt Lake Valley, and though winter weather may present challenges, start time delays and distance learning days are rare.

If you do not receive a notification of any kind of a start time delay or distance learning day, plan on school being open. You can check the status of your child’s school bus using the Here Comes the Bus app, available on The App Store and Google Play. This app shows the real-time location of your bus on a map, gives scheduled and actual arrival times for both home and school routes, and provides push and email notifications when the bus is near.

Here’s how to sign up:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app from The App Store or Google Play.
2. Tap Sign Up, then tap Continue.
3. Tap I have the Code.
4. Enter your email address, first name, last name, and school district code (29318). Accept the Terms and Conditions and tap Continue.
5. Tap Confirm if Granite School District is displayed.
6. Create your password.
7. If successful, you will see a Thank You screen. From here, check your email inbox for a message from noreply@synovia.com. Open the email and click Activate My Account. Once completed, close the browser link. You may now open the app and sign in with your email address and newly created password.

We trust parents to make the ultimate call when it comes to their child’s safety. Not all streets are plowed at the same time, and snow totals may differ from region to region. If you do not think it is safe to send or take your kids to school during inclement weather, please keep them home. School officials will be lenient regarding tardiness and absences during winter weather.

Considerations for School Closures 

Prior to and during a snowstorm, we receive up-to-date reports on road conditions, bus transportation capability, and the status of our buildings. We will keep schools open if these reports indicate we can safely transport children, and open and operate our buildings. Additionally, as we see inclement weather in the forecast, schools are prepared to utilize technology for distance learning in lieu of a snow day.

Like any public service, people count on schools to remain open, and there are many services we provide beyond education:

• A majority of students in the district would remain home alone without supervision if their school had an unscheduled distance learning day. Many families don’t have the luxury of adjusting work schedules on short notice.
• More than half of Granite School District students rely on their neighborhood school for breakfast and lunch. These meals are not simply convenient; they provide nutritional needs for kids who may otherwise go without them.
• A functioning school building provides warmth and safety in addition to classroom instruction.

The district also aims to open schools on time if at all possible. Granite’s geographical boundaries contain some of the busiest roadways in the Salt Lake Valley, which become especially congested during the morning commute. The regular bell schedule allows a single bus to complete high school/junior high routes and move on to elementary routes before the height of traffic congestion. Emergency late starts place high school and junior routes in the busiest road times, which can subsequently delay elementary routes even further. As such, late starts are not preferable because they are likely to make transportation delays even worse.