The words every Trinity student loves to see are highlighted in the bottom left corner of the TV: “JCCS Closed.”  Students — and many teachers — rejoice. But what goes into making the decision to close school for a day, or as during the week of Feb. 16, multiple days?

The process starts days in advance.  An incoming winter storm is due to hit Louisville.  The days leading up to the storm are filled with anticipation as students hope for an ever-so-rare snow day.

The morning arrives and there is, in fact, an accumulation of snow on the ground.  The local news immediately gets turned on and there it is: the announcement that schools are closed.

In most school districts, the superintendent is the person who ultimately makes the decision to close school.  They don’t make this decision alone, however.

Superintendent of Catholic Schools Leisa Schulz said, “I am the person who makes the final call for Catholic schools in Jefferson County.  Depending on the weather situation, I sometimes consult with other Archdiocesan staff members and Catholic school leaders, in addition to the EMA (Emergency Management Agency) team members.”

A similar dynamic exists for Jefferson County Public Schools.  Ms. Toni Konz, a WDRB News reporter who covers education and JCPS, said, “(Dr.) Mike Raisor is ultimately the person who recommends to (Dr. Donna) Hargens (superintendant of JCPS) on whether to cancel or delay school.  He is the JCPS chief operations officer.  He ultimately makes the recommendation to Hargens, but she is the one who makes the call.”

If a severe winter storm is expected, the National Weather Service and Emergency Management Agency will also provide insight for school officials.

Schulz said, “I receive daily forecasts and other weather-related information from the National Weather Service.  I also receive communications from the Emergency Management Agency in Louisville Metro.  The written forecasts, special announcements, and conference calls during bad weather assist us greatly.”

One of the biggest concerns when a storm hits is the condition of the roads when students are going to and from school.  In order to get a gauge of whether roads are safe enough for travel, JCPS has people monitor roadways all throughout the night.  

Konz said, “They have people that work pretty much all night.  Typically, they will get up at two or three o’clock in the morning and go out and drive.  They all have different parts of the city and they all report back.  So you may have like 15 people out riding their routes to see how their roads are, and they report to Raisor.”

Schulz said that the biggest safety concern is, in fact, the conditions of the roadways. “The biggest safety concern is typically the roads and the ability for students, faculty, and others to get to and from school safely, Schulz said.  “In winter, it’s snow and ice.  In spring, it can be flooding or debris from storms or downed power lines.  Certainly temperatures play a part year round, so we keep an eye on that also.”

In other scenarios, the roadways are not the problem.  In some recent occasions, the temperatures have been dangerously cold.  There is no magic number, however, that the temperature must hit for school to be called off.

“There is not a specific temperature or wind chill that we use,” Schulz said. “We pay attention to specific low temperature and/or wind chill warnings, and that assists us in making a decision.  We also consult with the other members of the EMA team—health department, law enforcement, mayor’s office, etc. — to assist in making a decision regarding temperature, wind chill, impending bad weather (snow, ice, thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, etc.).”

Dangerously low temperatures can lead to some serious safety issues for those students who ride the bus in the morning.  According to Konz, there are about 65,000 students who ride the bus to school daily in the morning in JCPS.  In Jefferson County Catholic Schools, Schulz says approximately eight to ten elementary schools and all eight high schools provide bus services on a daily basis.  This drastic difference in bus transportation is a big factor as to sometimes why JCPS gets closed and JCCS remains open.

Schulz said, “CPS is part of the EMA group, and they do share information regarding road conditions as they have individuals who ride the roads in the event of snow. JCPS will also share what their decision is. That information is helpful to me in making my decision, and I know it is also helpful for other local schools.   In most instances, the decision is an obvious one such as this past Monday, Feb. 16, President’s Day.

“All local schools — public, Catholic and private — closed that day.  In other instances, we may choose to make a different decision, like today (Feb. 20) as our transportation circumstances are different.  While we do have students transported by buses, the majority of our students are transported by car to Catholic schools in Jefferson County.  That allows us greater flexibility in making decisions to have school on a delayed basis or for a full day.”

Although there are usually only one or two snow storms a year, student safety is always taken very seriously, according to Schulz.  “The number-one concern is always the safety of the students, faculty, and others who are traveling to and from our schools,” she said. “I will always err on the side of caution when making a decision whether to have school or not.”

While students love snow days, it is safe to say that most school officials probably prefer spring over winter.

Schulz said, “Fortunately, it’s only a small part of the year—a few days here and there—where we have to worry about weather and its impact on our school schedules; however, when we’re living in those few days each year, it creates a lot of anxiety and stress for everyone.  I think it’s important to keep it in perspective.  I, for one, am always glad to experience that first warm spring day each year!”