St. Charles District 303 not making school call until Thursday

St. Charles’ early preparation for the snowflake onslaught may lead to open classrooms in St. Charles Unit District 303 Thursday morning.

School District Spokesman Jim Blaney said district staff won’t decide if school will be open Thursday until early in the morning.

“It all depends on if they can get the roads clear,” Blaney said. “How cold it gets and how things go with clearing the roads are the main factors.”

The most immediate source of information about potential school closings will be the district’s website: d303.org.

Blaney advised students and parents to prepare as if there will be school. City officials are doing their best to make sure that happens. All roads in the city received at least one pass by a plow by late Wednesday morning.

The city hired private plows to supplement city-owned equipment for the road-clearing efforts. City officials, like most communities in the area, advised travel only if absolutely necessary while public works crews did their jobs.

Both the police and fire departments are running at full staffing to assist with residents’ needs. The fire department has even temporarily increased normal staffing levels because of the high volume of rescue calls. Residents are being asked to try and clear the snow from around their nearest fire hydrants if at all possible to assist the city.

All St. Charles city offices are closed Wednesday, but the phones will be answered during normal daytime business hours.