South Burlington School Closings Today — Live Status (Vermont)

Are South Burlington schools closed today? Check live status below — updated every 10 minutes.

Live status monitored for South Burlington School District, Champlain Valley School District, Essex Westford Educational Community, Burlington School District, and Colchester School District.

How South Burlington School Closings Are Announced

The South Burlington School District (SBSD) posts closures, delays, and early dismissals on its official website at sbschools.net, typically by early morning before the first buses run. The district also pushes closure alerts through its district-wide phone, email, and text notification system to families who have registered their contact information with their child’s school. Because South Burlington’s five schools (South Burlington High School, Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, Chamberlin School, Orchard School, and Rick Marcotte Central School) operate on the same district-wide calendar and share transportation, the district almost always closes, delays, or dismisses early as a single unit rather than school by school.

Local television is the other major channel families rely on for closings across the Burlington, Vermont media market. WCAX-TV (Channel 3, CBS) — headquartered in South Burlington itself — runs Vermont’s statewide school closings and delays system on behalf of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters, distributing closure data to member TV and radio stations across the state; check WCAX’s closings page directly. WPTZ NewsChannel 5 (NBC) and Local 22/Local 44 (WVNY/WFFF, ABC and FOX) also carry closure and delay information during active winter weather. This page automatically monitors South Burlington’s official announcements alongside all three television sources, so families see the fastest available confirmation without checking multiple sites themselves.

Weather Risks That Can Close South Burlington Schools

• Heavy overnight snowfall: Vermont’s lake-effect snow bands off Lake Champlain and larger regional systems can drop several inches to over a foot overnight, leaving roads unplowed by the time buses would normally run.
• Ice storms and freezing rain: A thin coating of ice on untreated roads, driveways, and sidewalks is often more disruptive to bus routes and walking students than snow itself, and can prompt a delay even without heavy accumulation.
• Nor’easters: Powerful coastal storm systems can track inland or brush the Champlain Valley with a mix of heavy snow, high winds, and rapidly changing road conditions that are difficult to forecast a full day out.
• Extreme cold and wind chill: Sub-zero wind chill advisories during Vermont’s coldest stretches (typically January and February) can trigger delays or closures out of concern for students waiting at bus stops or walking to school.
• Flooding: Heavy rain or rapid snowmelt can cause localized flooding on roads throughout Chittenden County, occasionally affecting bus routes even outside the winter months.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early does South Burlington School District announce school closures?

South Burlington School District typically announces closures and delays by early morning, before the first school buses are scheduled to run, so families have time to adjust their plans. During an active overnight storm, the district may also post an advance “possible delay” notice the evening before.

What’s the difference between a closure and a delay in South Burlington?

A closure means school is cancelled district-wide for the day. A delay means school opens later than the normal schedule — usually one or two hours — to give road crews more time to clear snow or ice before buses run. Delays are far more common than full closures in the South Burlington area, since Vermont districts are generally well-equipped for routine winter weather.

Do all South Burlington schools close at the same time, or individually?

South Burlington’s five schools operate as a single district and share bus routes, so they almost always close, delay, or dismiss early together as one decision from the district office — not school by school. This page also monitors four neighboring Chittenden County districts (Champlain Valley, Essex Westford, Burlington, and Colchester), each of which makes its own separate closure decision.

Which local TV stations report South Burlington school closings?

WCAX-TV (Channel 3, CBS), WPTZ NewsChannel 5 (NBC), and Local 22/Local 44 (WVNY/WFFF) are the primary Burlington-market TV stations that report South Burlington and Chittenden County school closings. WCAX also operates Vermont’s statewide school closings and delays system on behalf of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters.

How often is this page updated?

Status checks run automatically every 15 minutes, or every 5 minutes during active weather alerts, pulling from official district sources and local TV station feeds.

What other Chittenden County districts does this page track?

In addition to South Burlington School District, this page monitors the Champlain Valley School District (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston), Essex Westford Educational Community, Burlington School District, and Colchester School District — the districts most commonly mentioned alongside South Burlington in regional closing coverage.

South Burlington School District — School Roster

High Schools

• South Burlington High School

Middle Schools

• Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School

Elementary Schools

• Chamberlin School
• Orchard School
• Rick Marcotte Central School