The Superintendent's Blog

The first chill of fall is in the air. As we prepare to head into another Nebraska winter, I want to provide a brief overview of how we make decisions about school when the weather turns bad. Weather decisions that impact the status of school are never easy calls, and I’ve learned it helps if families know what goes into the process before the first storm arrives. Hopefully, this blog will serve as an anchor point of reference over the next few months to provide context for the decisions that are made.

When winter weather is in the forecast, we begin monitoring conditions early. The National Weather Service is our main source for decision-making, though I keep an eye on several others ranging from local media to the 557th Weather Wing at Offutt Air Force Base.

Forecasts are helpful, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Millard covers 35 square miles, and conditions can look very different from one neighborhood to another. I often drive the district, checking in with our maintenance and custodial crews who are working through the night to clear sidewalks and parking lots. Additionally, we have a great working relationship with the City of Omaha and share information about conditions, timelines, and needs.

Once we’ve made the determination that weather will impact the regular operation of school, the question becomes which decision makes the most sense. Remote learning days continue to be our primary tool because they protect instructional time and allow us to keep the school calendar intact without extending the year into the summer. At the same time, we know there is something special about the joy of a “traditional” snow day. Every now and then, we will make the call for a day off without remote learning. The decision between the two depends on a host of factors. Some of those include how many weather interruptions we’ve already had, the severity of the storm, and the timing within the school year - such as the start or end of a grading period or whether it’s before or after a break or long weekend, which can limit student access to technology. On some days, a two-hour late start may also be the best choice, giving road crews and rising temperatures just enough time to improve conditions. I understand a late start can be disruptive for some families, so using this option is not a decision taken lightly.

It’s also important to understand that different districts across the metro may reach different conclusions on the same day - and there are often good reasons for that. Not every district has a late start option, which limits their flexibility when conditions improve later in the morning. Transportation differences also play a role. For example, diesel buses begin to have fuel issues when air temperatures are lower than minus five degrees. Since most metro schools have diesel buses, air temperature can sometimes stop school districts even when the “feels-like” temperature is at a point where school could go. In Millard, our buses run on propane, which performs better in lower temperatures and can give us more flexibility to hold school when others cannot. Geography and road conditions are other factor. Rural or open areas of the county often experience heavier snow drifting or can be more adversely impacted by heavy moisture on gravel roads. Additionally, each city and county - from Omaha to Papillion, Bellevue, La Vista, Ralston, and others - manages its own road clearing operations, meaning travel conditions at any given period of time can vary from one boundary line to another. For all these reasons, what’s best for one district may not always align perfectly with another district’s circumstances.

We try to decide early enough for families to plan, but late enough that we’re working with the most accurate information available. Some days it’s clear-cut. Other times it comes down to just a few degrees or a slight shift in timing. Always surprising to some, weather forecasts don’t always pan out as anticipated when the forecast suggested that having school was feasible. Conversely, a decision to cancel school can be made based on a forecast that never produces the anticipated severe conditions. The science of meteorology has come a long way over the years, but it’s not a perfect crystal ball.

I also want to stress that while we make the best call we can for the district, every family has its own circumstances. If you ever feel it’s safest to keep your child home, we respect that decision just as we do when a child is kept home for illness. Additionally, not every neighborhood is in the same condition following a severe weather event. Sometimes isolated areas have not been plowed or may be without power. While we certainly understand having school may be more difficult for people in these situations, if conditions are permitting school in most parts of the district, we may still proceed with in-person school that day.

These decisions are never taken lightly. Safety is always an important priority, and right behind it is our commitment to keeping students learning uninterrupted in the classroom with their teachers. I would like to thank you in advance for your patience, flexibility, and trust as we move into another Nebraska winter season. As a parent myself, I fully recognize the challenges that come with Nebraska weather, especially when it comes to planning, routines, and professional responsibilities. Please know we do our best, and I greatly appreciate the grace so many in the community provide as we make these decisions.