The decision -makers from Schneetag welcome warmer days

By Lori Shriner for the Seward County Independent

It is likely that only a few people are happier that warm weather returns to Seward County than those who decide whether schools, streets and offices have to be closed for snow days.

Consider Seth Ford, superintendent of the Centennial School District, which extends almost the entire western border of the County from Seward County and comprises a large part of the York County and small corners in the counties Polk and Butler.

He and his employees monitor the forecasts of the National Weather Service from his Omaha station for the area in Seward County and from the Hastings station for the areas around Waco, Gresham and Thayer.

When the weather becomes a problem, Ford, two other administrators and the transport director of the district are at 4 a.m. to drive at the other edges of the district and often report under different conditions.

They check snow for road conditions and blisters, have probably looked at consulted forecasts about the predicted storm that network with the other superintendents of the district and the district for educational services and touch the basis of the Seward County Highway department.

Josh Fields, the superintendent of the Seward School, has a similar routine and uses colleagues to cover his 244 square miles of large districts, which runs from Interstate 80 and then east to the county. Only a small corner that is carved out by the district of East Butler.

If the decision not to cancel, delay or have the school the night before cannot be made, Fields said that it had to be hit between 5:30 and 6 a.m. It is not always an easy decision, and he expects some people to not agree because even within smaller districts there can be large differences in the effects of a storm on streets and highways.

“It may be okay for 98% of our districts,” he said, but some students may be snowed in at home who are unable to leave their journey or road down due to drifts.

Malcolm superintendent Ryan Terwilliger said that open streets and good lighting are important, which is why the late start is often an option, especially in the middle of winter when the sun rises later. Temperatures are also a factor.

During and after a storm, the main streets and highways are cleared between cities and villages, but in some storms it takes longer to extinguish the streets. During the 2023-24 school year, the centennial buses could not shut down a few rural roads, so that the students had to drive the bus on certain motorway and village stops.

“We are grateful for the county and the work they did to keep them open,” said Ford. “I don't envy these boys. I give this boys a lot of recognition. “

The County Highway Crew also collects information that has to be used with district officials who have to determine whether Seward Public Transit offers trips on this day or whether some County programs should be canceled.

The Seward County Board of Commissioners discussed the topic of road, program and office reversals at its meeting on February 25 and asked the district's employees to regain the existing guidelines on snow days for checking and possible updating. The courthouse of Seward County Castle on February 18 due to weather and road conditions and faced the problem that streets in part of the district can be impassable, while they are okay in another case.

Mitch Kubicek, superintendent of the Milford School, said that the security of the students is always the greatest consideration for his district, which almost extends to Emerald and south of Milford to the east. Some parts of the district have more hills and trees that cause more road problems in storms.

The district voters remind the superintendents that parents make the last call to keep their child or children at home with bad weather on the days because they know how it is where it lives.

The students receive an apologized absence, even though they will miss all activities at school that day.

Kubicek said Milford was building snow days into the school calendar as in other districts and knows that the high schools have to carry out at least 1,080 classroom hours per school year. Districts can plan more hours than the knowledge that the weather, the construction of emergencies and the days on which the school is canceled for a state sports tournament or another event.

Seward builds up on three snow days, but Fields said that if additional days are necessary, the students switch to remote learning to complete the school from home.

There are disadvantages of the snow days, including the classes, exams and events planned for this day.

“Whenever we call up the school, we know that there are fewer meals for some families, and that is always a consideration,” said Kubicek.

According to Fields, snow days and late starts can also be a challenge for parents who have to arrange childcare quickly so that they can come to work.

Misty Ahmic, chairman of the Seward County Commission, said that the district also causes costs if it closes offices for a day because employees who work in prison, in the 911 center, and on the street, since the deputies of the sheriff still have to work. You are then entitled to additional compensation if others have the day free.

If the district offices remain open, employees can take a vacation day to stay at home.

“I have to make this decision on the basis of the information that is given to me,” said Ahmic at the meeting of the Commissioners.

She advises the Department of Highway County, the Sheriff department and the emergency management department, which probably monitored the weather activities.

Kubicek said that the work of the decision as to whether the school should be called up or not, remains a bit doubtful.

“There are many things to take into account, and sometimes they make (decisions) with a very short time,” said Kubicek.

Terwilliger said the system has improved over the years.

“I've been doing this for 15 years now and we probably have more information and from the different weather transactions than ever before,” said Terwilliger.

Fields agreed, but found that the weather forecast could also be wrong with a storm.