Dist. 214 has trouble getting message out

Some parents got a phone message Wednesday morning telling them the start of classes in Northwest Suburban High School District 214 would be delayed two hours because of the winter storm.

Some did not.

In the future, District 214 parents should rely on the media or the district's Web site, not the district's automated phone service, District 214 spokeswoman Venetia Miles said.

"We did have some problems getting the message out," Miles said. "There was just a glitch in the system."

All District 214 schools opened two hours later than normal Wednesday to give the district time to get the parking lots plowed. The school day ended at its regular time and most after-school activities went on as scheduled, Miles said.

District 214 got about two dozen phone calls from parents upset they didn't get a call, Miles said.

Of its many elementary feeder districts, only one -- Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 -- decided to cancel school on Wednesday. All afternoon and evening activities also were canceled, including Market Day at Patton Elementary School.

The decision to cancel District 25 classes was made after Arlington Heights village officials couldn't guarantee all residential streets would be plowed by early Wednesday morning, according to District 25 school officials.

District 214 and 25 officials compared school closing plans, but didn't come to the same decision, Miles said.

"We have to make sure our roads are accessible and that our students and buses can get to school safely," she said.

"We do check with other superintendents and try to make the same decision, but sometimes it doesn't always work out that way."