For some, the announcement of a "snow day" on a wintry morning is much appreciated as it means more sleep and a day off enjoying the winter wonderland. For others, the announcement of a snow day can create a hardship as it means trying to find daycare, or having to take off work, or possibly having to leave children home alone. The decision to call or not call school due to weather is not taken lightly considering the balance between safe travels to school and the difficulty an emergency closure creates.
I would like to take this opportunity to explain the process involved when we are experiencing winter weather. First, we pay close attention to weather forecast through a number of apps to try and determine the severity and timeline of the storm system. When there is a winter storm in the evening the last thing I do before I go to bed is travel the roads to anticipate what we may be facing in the morning. At 4:00 AM in the morning the Transportation Director and I are traveling the roads in our school district to observe driving conditions. At the same time the KSD maintenance crew begins the process of clearing sidewalks, parking lots, and pickup/drop off zones. In addition to driving the roads, I consult with other local superintendents and law enforcement to determine school closure. Ideally, the decision to call school should happen no later than 6:30 AM as bus routes have started, food preparation has begun, students are arriving for practice, etc. Often times we are hit with significant snowstorms after the determination to have school has been made which makes bus routes, travel to school, and snow removal difficult. Closing school early is done only in extreme situations as this really creates adversity for staff, parents, and students and is not always in the best interest of student safety. The decision to close school for weather is a difficult one to make and is done after much deliberation and consideration. In the event school is canceled due to weather we communicate this through the districts "all call system", post it on our social media/webpage, and radio/television stations. Please make sure that your contact information is up to date, you can verify information by contacting your student's school.
We want to make sure our parents and patrons know that the decision to close school is a very serious one that is always done with the best interest of our students in mind.
Sincerely,
Luke Schroeder
KSD Superintendent