A virtual non-stop snowfall since the new year has accumulated 16 inches of snow in Libertyville, according to WGN Chicago. Though the snow won’t affect the status of school on Monday, frigid temperatures cause the school to close it’s doors for the dreaded first day back from winter break. The decision to cancel school was made early Sunday afternoon and a decision regarding whether school will or will not be cancelled on Tuesday, for the same reasons, will be made on Monday.
“The cause of the closing is because of the dangerous temperatures and wind chill factors predicted for tomorrow,” said Ms. Mary Todoric, the District 128 Director of Communications. “We are always concerned for the safety of our students. D128 administration is in conversation with our feeder district administrators, and will make a decision tomorrow afternoon [regarding] the status of school on Tuesday.”
According to The Weather Channel, temperatures could reach extremes such as -45 degrees with a high of only -13 degress. Students walking to school and waiting for buses early in the morning could be at risk for frostbite as it can take effect in less than ten minutes when temperatures drop to -15, according to weather.com.
Tuesday holds the same fate as Monday as LHS will once again close down due to bitter winter cold. Though the high for Tuesday is 6 degrees, frigid temperatures similar to Monday’s during the morning hours concerns district administrators. Classes will resume on Wednesday following the normal late-start schedule.
“[Tuesday’s temperatures] will warm up later, but it will still be dangerously low at the time students would be walking to school or waiting for buses,” stated Ms. Todoric.
Though the cancellations are occurring just before finals, no changes will be made to the current schedule. According to Ms. Todoric, they won’t be any changes in the end of the year schedule either. That is a welcoming sound to the ears of students whose only regret of cancellations is the added days to the end of the year – or the subtracted days of summer.
While students eagerly awaited the decision of school on Monday, many had to pass the long hours of the snowstorm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday trapped in their homes. Drops of Ink held a #snoweDOIn contest, where students could send in pictures and videos of how they spent their days for the chance to win a $10 Chipotle gift card.
Snuggling up next to the fire and defrosting with a good book is a stereotypical wintertime activity. Senior Johnny Vernasco took full advantage of his time to read a perfectly themed book, “Let it Snow”, by John Green, Muareen Johnson and Lauren Myracle.
“Seems like an approximate title for the day,” tweeted Vernasco during the #snoweDOIn contest.
Junior Grant Dean and his sisters took advantage of their time and read just like Vernasco; however, they weren’t snuggled up to the fire in their #snoweDOIn tweet. Comically sprawled out on a couch in the snow, Kendra Dean tweeted: “Family time in the living room this morning.”
Senior Courtney Tragasz spent her snowy Thursday with her cat Kira playing in the snow. Watch their outdoor fun here: http://instagram.com/p/irrHnnO95r/.
Despite the non-stop snowfall trapping students, there has been no damage or concern over the state of the school. The offices and building were open as scheduled.
“The snow has not affected the operation of the school at all,” said LHS Vice Principal Mr. Ray Albin. “We were open for business [Thursday], and fully expect to be so [Friday]. Our building and grounds team, as usual, has done a wonderful job of clearing our parking lots and sidewalks so that we can be fully operational.”
Athletic practices were the only cancellations on thursday and the JV wrestling tournament went on as scheduled according to Athletic Director, Mr. Briant Kelly.
