An informative note from Dr. Burmeister, our Superintendent, in case you didnt get it... Hello, Over the past few days I have received a number of emails and phone calls regarding school closings and our decision to remain open. Some of the calls and emails have been positive, thanking me for keeping the schools open, others have been very critical of my decision, and many wanted to know the rationale. Rather than try to respond to all of the calls and emails individually, I thought it would be helpful to send an email to all parents and guardians. We have been sharing the information that we use the National Weather Service’s determination of a wind chill warning vs. advisory. We will close any time the NWS issues a wind chill warning. We will stay open when it is an advisory. Last winter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we had 22 days when the actual temperature fell below 0 with the wind chill significantly lower. The average minimum temperature last January was 5 degrees. The average minimum temperature last February was 9 degrees. If we were to close each time there was a wind chill advisory, we would, unfortunately, have to make up a lot of school days in June. During last year’s harsh winter, the superintendents in our region (Milwaukee County, Waukesha County and Ozaukee County) looked at how other districts – not just in Wisconsin but other wintery northern states – determine whether or not to cancel school during periods of extremely cold temperatures. Many used the criteria of calling off when it is a warning rather than an advisory. This is the criteria most of the districts in our region decided to use. Most of the school districts in our region used this criteria this week and stayed open. Others chose to close, mainly due to attendance concerns. Some districts had over half the students absent earlier this week. Others, like us, had the vast majority of our students in school. Some districts cancelled when MPS cancelled because their 220 students would not be able to attend school. In their districts, MPS buses the 220 students into their schools, so if MPS cancels and is not running its buses, the 220 students are not able to get to school. In our district, however, we bus our 220 students into our schools with MPS paying us to do this. As a result, our 220 students are able to attend school in our district, even when MPS cancels. Determining whether or not to close school due to snow and road conditions is different. That is an individual decision for each district and is based mainly on input from the street department and the bus company as to whether or not buses can safely travel the roads. Some districts have little to no busing while others have a very high percentage of students who ride buses. Some districts are small and compact in terms of square miles while others, like ours, have wide open spaces in which roads can more easily become drifted over. So the decision to close based on snow can vary considerable from district to district. I know the issue of whether or not to close is never going to be a popular one. All superintendents experience the same thing – criticism for closing and criticism for staying open. The decision will never make everyone happy, no matter which way the decision goes. I appreciate the concerns that some of you expressed, and I assure you that you always have the ability to make the decision for your own child. If you choose to keep your child home, you can call the school to excuse your child from school for the day. We will continue to provide a safe, warm learning environment for your child if you choose to allow your child to attend school on these extremely cold days. Going forward, please pay close attention to the National Weather Service’s alerts if you are wondering whether or not school will be closed. If the NWS issues a wind chill warning, schools in our district will be closed. Any time we close schools, that information is posted as an announcement on our district website, facebook, and twitter pages as well as the Milwaukee television stations. I hope we will all have warmer, more comfortable days ahead this winter. Sincerely, Sara Burmeister Superintendent Oak Creek-Franklin School District
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 00:04:26 +0000
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