School must go on—even if the day begins two hours late.
"Rather than close school completely and lose that educational day, if we can give parents two more hours ... then the kids are better off being in schools," said Rex Squires, transportation director for the Blaine County School District.
All Blaine County Schools opened two hours late Friday, Dec. 2, after a winter storm dropped more than a foot of snow on the Wood River Valley. Morning kindergarten was cancelled.
"The two-hour delayed start accomplishes a few things," said Cathy Zaccardi, clerk of the Blaine County School Board. "First, it gives the city and county crews time to clear the highways. It also gives parents a chance to dig out their own driveways, clear the parking lots at schools, and traffic congestion to clear."
In the event school is canceled or delayed, the district posts the notice on the its Web site, changes the bus shop phone message and notifies KECH radio and the KMVT television station.
The decision to open, close or delay the schools begins at 6 a.m. with Squires' evaluation of road conditions.
"I check with the Idaho Transportation Department, with county road and bridge, and with the cities. Between all that I make a recommendation to the superintendent," Squires said.
The transportation director makes an initial recommendation to Superintendent Jim Lewis, which rarely results in a school cancellation.
"If we close schools, then what are those parents going to do with those kids? Most people have not planned for daycare," Squires said. "The question is, 'Can parents find a daycare or do they have to miss a day of work because schools cannot open?'"
Snow days in Blaine County are few and far between. In the last five years, the district enacted a total of three district-wide closings, which all occurred in the 2001-2002 school year.
"The reason for the delayed start versus canceling school is that oftentimes (such as this case), by 10 a.m., we have blue skies and clear roads. If the weather is too bad, school can still be canceled after the two-hour time frame," Zaccardi said.
The district also rarely cancels school for cold temperatures. Temperatures must fall to --25 degrees Fahrenheit before school is canceled. At that temperature the diesel school buses do not start.
Still, the delayed start time may pose a problem for some working parents. When school is delayed, the bus schedule is postponed to correspond to the school schedule. Working parents must still find care for their children.
Squires advised that parents should be aware of a potential delayed or snow day, and organize a plan accordingly.
The reliability of road crews throughout Blaine County coupled with the stability of school buses enables schools to usually hold classes despite heavy snowfall.
"Buses are really good in the snow because of their size," Squires said.
Size, weight and good tire treads provides safe transportation on the bus routes, he said. Bus drivers also take ongoing training throughout the year, with a focus on winter driving.
