Several factors played into Friday's 'Snow Day'

As an educator who has worked in several states, Stephen Daeschner knows a little about weather-related school closings.

He has seen classes canceled in Kentucky when there was barely an inch of snow and he has seen schools remain open after several feet of the white stuff had fallen in Alaska.

The Indian Prairie Unit District 204 superintendent says Illinois' snow tolerance falls in the middle of those extremes as demonstrated by the decision to cancel Friday classes throughout much of the region in the wake of the late-week storm.

But while school children may have gotten to sleep in, Daeschner and neighboring Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis were up and at 'em just after 4 a.m. to go through the process involved in making that call.

"The indications (Thursday) night were that it was going to be bad," Leis said. "But I've done this enough … to know weather doesn't always come off as predicted."

So when they awoke Friday they spoke with buildings and grounds staff about the condition of parking lots, made sure buses were able to start, checked television and Internet weather sources and scoped out their own neighborhoods to see the conditions they were dealing with.

"A lot of it has to do with what's falling when and whether the (parking) lots are clean … and whether there's going to be more snow falling," Daeschner said.

They consulted with each other, too. Around 5 a.m., area superintendents had a telephone conference call to discuss what they should do.

"My gut certainly told me it was appropriate to close. It was one of the easier calls," Leis said. "The harder calls are where the weather system is just moving in so the brunt of it is going to hit as students are coming to school."

Daeschner said his neighborhood didn't seem too bad, but the bigger issue involved people like teachers and bus drivers who live outside the area and commute to the district.

"That's where it gets dicey," he said.

By about 5:30 a.m., they were contacting parents and staff through their e-mail and phone systems as well as posting notices on their Web sites and the radio.

While students likely enjoyed the prospect of a three-day weekend, they'll be making up the day at the end of the school year.