January 2, 2014 at 3:51 p.m.
District keeping an eye on thermometer as temps drop
District keeping an eye on thermometer as temps drop
The following message was posted on the School District of Rhinelander's website early Sunday afternoon:
"Due to the extreme cold all Rhinelander schools have been closed on Monday, Jan. 6. Practices, games, after-school activities, and the School Board committee meeting have also been canceled.
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With frigid temperatures predicted for Monday, School District of Rhinelander officials are considering whether to close school.
According to the National Weather Service, the predicted high for Monday is a bone-chilling minus 17 degrees. The district has not decided whether students should be kept home Monday, but Superintendent Kelli Jacobi did say Thursday school officials and Bowen's Bus Service are keeping a close eye on the forecast.
"I've already talked to Bowen's earlier (on Thursday) and we discussed what the forecast is, what impact it would have. As it stands right now, because the forecast is constantly changing, we're discussing two options for Monday," she said. "(Thursday) by 9 o'clock (a.m.), things had warmed up enough so that it wasn't dangerous to be out. If that's in the plans for Monday, a two-hour delay could be a possibility. If it doesn't look like it's going to warm up if we wait a little bit, then we could be looking at a school closing."
Jacobi said a final decision will be made by Sunday night or early Monday morning.
"Bowen's and I will be watching the temps and the forecast ... to make a decision. We won't do it as early as some schools. I saw earlier that some schools out east have already canceled because of the blizzard coming through, but we won't do that just because it varies so much from day to day what the forecast is," Jacobi said. "We'll wait and see if it actually does get as low as it's supposed to. The call could be made as early as Sunday night, but I would guess it won't be until early Monday."
Gov. Scott Walker's office said Friday morning the governor was considering whether to cancel classes statewide, the Associated Press reported. Walker's office later issued a statement backing off on that position, saying the governor is encouraging local school districts to make their own decisions.
One factor to be considered when making cancelation decisions is the effect extreme cold has on buses.
Craig Voight of Bowen's Bus Service said cold effects lights, doors and motors.
"Any time you start getting below zero, you always have a chance of things happening with diesel motors," he said. "The cold weather effects lights and door operations and things like that just as much as it will the motor. That's the same with any vehicle. We have not had any issues with buses on the road breaking down. We had two buses out of the 39 that we run that didn't start so I'd say those are pretty good odds. There's not really a magic number ... but generally we don't have issues until it's about 15 to 20 below zero."
For the students who may be watching their thermometer to see if school will be canceled, Jacobi said there is no set temperature the district has deemed as too cold for school.
"There is no black and white fixed cut-off (temperature)," she said. "We're looking at the cold - the lowest low - but then also how quickly it's going to come up to a safer level. The most dangerous part is for the kids waiting for buses. Once they're on the bus, the buses are warm. ... The biggest concern is the kids waiting at the bus stops."
The main concern at the bus stops is frostbite, Jacobi said.
"(The weather service) will put out a warning for frostbite so we'll be watching for that. If it gets below the 15 to 30 minute mark for frostbite to develop, if it gets lower than that where it can happen in a few minutes, then that definitely will play a part in the decision," Jacobi said.
Jacobi had two words of advice for parents who are sending their kids on the bus - bundle up.
"Definitely bundle them up," she said. "I've heard from parents that the kids hate to be bundled up because then they're on the bus and they get too hot. That's OK. They can get out of some of those clothes once they're safely on the bus. The bus drivers will be helping them make sure they've got all their hats and gloves and everything but we do want to make sure the kids are all bundled up."
The same goes for the parents who walk their kids to the bus stops.
"I also worry about the parents," Jacobi said. "Many parents stay with their children at the bus stops and so parents need to be taking care of themselves, too - making sure they're bundled up as well."
If school is held Monday, Jacobi said students will not be going outside for recess.
"When it's below zero, the kids don't ever go outside - for recess, for (physical education), for any reason," she said. "On these really cold days, they're never outside. It's just not safe. We'll do active things in the schools, in the gymnasiums. We'll find other ways for the kids to be active."
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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