Students wake up to a winter wonderland outside, eagerly reaching for their phones to check for school closings. To their disappointment, classes continue as usual.
The decision to keep the school district open despite snowy weather upsets and disappoints many.
The school district prioritizes safety while carefully considering numerous factors when deciding whether to close schools.
“There’s a lot that goes into the talk about closing school,” Superintendent Dr. William Patterson said. “I consult with a lot of different people. I’m listening to the people at the National Weather Service.”
Moving beyond weather forecasts, the superintendent relies heavily on firsthand assessments of road conditions.
“If we don’t cancel school until the morning, I talk with our transportation director about the road conditions,” Patterson said. “The transportation director sometimes takes a bus out to test how slippery the roads are.”
In deciding whether to cancel school, Patterson prioritizes student and staff safety, carefully considering how road conditions might impact their transportation to and from school.
“The first thing that I always want to do is just think safety first,” Patterson said. “I’m always just trying to think of students and if I’m able to get the students not only to school but home safely.”
While ensuring student safety is the primary concern, school closures also significantly impact families.
“Parents quickly have to turn around and make arrangements for their children, or sometimes they have to take off [work], and so, you think about all those things,” Patterson stated.
The superintendent also explained that he collaborates with other local school district superintendents, including Penfield, Battle Creek Central, and Harper Creek when making these decisions.
“A misconception is that Lakeview only closes when Battle Creek Public does. The road commission starts with major roads in the inner city, then branches out to the outlying areas, away from downtown,” Patterson said. “So, it’ll be a little easier for Battle Creek and Lakeview to have school while rural area districts may be closed.”
In the end, the school district’s primary goal is to ensure students and staff remain safe.
“I’m always just trying to think of students and if I’m able to get the students not only to school but home safely,” Patterson said.