By: Maria Allard | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published February 10, 2026
METRO DETROIT — With the recent heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures, school has been canceled in many local districts this year as a safety precaution for staff and students.
Michigan public schools are allowed six “forgiven days,” also known as snow days, without penalty. District officials can close school for a number of reasons, including snow, ice, frigid temperatures, the wind chill factor, sickness outbreaks and infrastructure problems.
Sometimes the buses cannot run due to icy road conditions. Local superintendents consult with each other when deciding whether or not to call a snow day. The district superintendent makes the final decision to close school. When the district closes, the information is then shared with families via robo phone calls, emails, on social media and with local news outlets.
If a district goes over the six-day limit, the district can apply to the state superintendent for a waiver for three additional days if there are unusual and extenuating circumstances. At press time, classes were canceled Dec. 10 and Jan. 15, 23 and 26 in Eastpointe Community Schools this school year.
At the Jan. 28 Eastpointe Community Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Christina Gibson provided an update regarding the district’s current snow day status. The meeting was originally scheduled for Jan. 26, but due to road conditions, it was postponed until Jan. 28.
“We will communicate weather cancellations as timely as possible to allow parents to make other arrangements so that they can still work,” Gibson said.
ECS families who did not receive calls about school closings were asked to make sure their information is updated in PowerSchool and the district’s phone numbers are not blocked.
Roseville Community Schools had the same four snow days as Eastpointe. Green Elementary School in Roseville had an additional day off due to a water main break. According to RCS Superintendent Mark Blaszkowski, school officials always check with the district’s Transportation and Buildings and Grounds departments for their guidance on snow days.
In Roseville, the following factors are considered for a snow day: temperature, amount of snow, what time the snow falls, can residents get to the main roads, ice on roads, and if blowing snow hinders the plowing of snow.
“We value every minute of instructional time, but we also know safety comes first,” Blaszkowski said via email. “Whatever decision we make, there are always some people who are not happy.”
Teachers may have to alter their lesson plans when there is a snow day.
“Sometimes it can just push them back a day,” Blaszkowski said. “They may have to rework the whole week to try to catch up.”