School closing decisions a matter of degree(s)

Many school districts across the state delayed the start of classes or closed altogether on Wednesday because of bitterly cold wind chills.

Anoka-Hennepin and Minneapolis called off school over concerns students might get frostbite standing at bus stops or walking to school. School was in session in St. Paul, although attendance was low because parents were given the option of keeping their kids at home.

Minnesota school leaders say it's always tough to make the call to close schools due to weather and that second-guessing happens no matter where the bar is set. Minneapolis' cold weather policy, unveiled this fall, considers a minus 35 degree wind chill as the benchmark for closing. St. Paul's policy, also announced this fall, sets the mark at 40 below.

But closing school is not just about a number. Districts need to consider the cold weather performance of their buses, how many students walk to school, the percentage of students who are new to the country and aren't acclimated to severe cold, and how many needy students might miss out on a meal or two if their school shuts down.

St. Paul Public Schools Superintendent Valeria Silva decided keeping schools open, and giving students a warm place to go, was the safest option Wednesday, though she also let parents know they could keep their kids at home.

"The safety is in their hands as much as in our hands," Silva said. "I feel the parents had the ability to make that choice."

Many apparently made the choice to keep their kids at home — or were at least talked into it by their kids. Fewer than half of the district's 39,000 students came to school Wednesday

The district will review Wednesday's attendance data and school bus wait times and possibly adjust its policy before the next blast of cold, Silva said.

Giving students an out on a cold day is something other districts have done as well. Anoka-Hennepin, where school was cancelled today, tried it few years ago but school leaders didn't like the outcome.

"We had many students that stayed home and we had some students driving into the school parking lot, turn around and leave because they had gotten a message from friends saying school is optional," said Mary Olson, the district's spokeswoman.

Better weather forecasting has made it easier to make a school closing decision, and automated phone calls, text messaging and social media can get the word out faster than ever.

Social media has also given people a public place to complain about those decisions. Dozens of St. Paul parents expressed frustration with Superintendent Silva's decision to keep schools open on the district's Facebook page.

"Facebook and Twitter have now created an environment where people say things that they would never say if they were having a conversation," said Gary Amaroso, head of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.

A former superintendent in Lakeville, Amoroso said he's fielded his share of angry, weather-related phone calls from parents but was able to turn most of those testy exchanges into civil conversations.

Silva says dealing with that is part of her job and she's done her best to respond respectfully.