In most snowy conditions, students can safely walk and our buses can run quite well. Cold Weather is more serious than snow when making school closure decisions. On bitterly cold days we have major concerns about students walking to school. Additionally, there are problems starting our buses and keeping them running. This affects our ability to pick up children at their scheduled time, and causes a far more serious problem than a late bus would during more mild weather.
Ice is our biggest problem.
Such conditions may force us to close, even when it sometimes appears that no severe weather exists. Representatives from transportation agencies, the weather bureau, the highway district, city and county law enforcement agencies, and school administrators, including the superintendent, check the roads and monitor information throughout the night and early morning hours. If the decision is to close schools, that information is given to the local media by the District's Public Information Specialist. Only under the most severe conditions would a decision to close schools be made in time to announce it the night before. The most important understanding we need to have is that when the children's safety is secure, we plan to have school.