Issaquah School District Starts 2 Hours Late Today; State Route 18 Roads Snowy

All schools in the Issaquah School District are running two hours late and buses are operating on snow routes today, Tuesday, March 13. There is quite a bit of snow accumulation and icy/slushy conditions in the district's upper elevations.

The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement saying snow levels were expected to drop within a few hundred feet of sea level this morning, but snow is not expected to accumulate except in isolated areas.

According to the weather alert, some spots in the east Puget Sound lowlands...mainly near the Cascades and above 700 feet...received several inches of snow overnight. Several roadways in that area do have snow cover this morning...including the higher elevations of state route 18 over Tiger Mountain. Motorists there should exercise caution and allow extra travel time.

Because of the delay and snow routes, these programs and activities are cancelled in the district:

• All before school activities, including morning school-age care
• Headstart
• Morning and afternoon preschool
• Morning and afternoon kindergarten (full-day kindergarten will start two hours late)
• Out-of-district transportation

Check your Emergency Transportation Brochure to see where your snow route bus stops are located. If your area is not listed with a snow route stop, go to your regular stop. Students will be returned to the same bus stop where they were picked up in the morning, regardless of after-school road conditions.

Other programs not mentioned will continue as regularly scheduled. Any changes to field trips and after-school activities will be determined by each school. Check with your school for decisions about field trips and after-school activities.

• High-school HSPE update: Issaquah High and Skyline will have freshmen and sophomores  arrive at 9:25 a.m. Regular classes will begin after lunch (i.e., don't come hungry!) at 12:30 for all students (juniors and seniors arrive). Stay tuned for the Liberty and Tiger Mountain schedules. Individual schools will also post more specific information via eNews and their websites.