Saturday, January 09, 1999
Safety, money are top issues in school closings
Weather itself doesn't dictate decisions
BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Nasty weather and low temperatures closed most Tristate schools this week, giving students extra days of winter vacation. But the weather isn't always the reason education is put on hold.
Funding concerns can sometimes play a role. Schools receive money from the state based on their daily student attendance. Opening a building when many parents might keep their children home anyway is not always cost-effective.
Ohio schools have more to worry about than those in Kentucky, which is getting a break from its legislature this year. In 1999, districts will be allowed to throw out their five worst attendance days when they calculate their funding formula.
But for this week, the major concern was safety.
“It all comes under the same umbrella,” Kenton County Schools Superintendent Neil Stiegelmeyer said. “Can we transport the kids safely to school?”
Kenton County schools were closed all week, first for road conditions, later for icy parking lots, and Thursday and Friday for snow.
Bus transportation is often the key when Kentucky superintendents decide to close schools. While Ohio schools are allowed to offer limited bus service, Kentucky schools are not.
Smaller districts, such as Erlanger-Elsmere, opened for three days this week. Now, crews are preparing to clean up the expected onslaught of snow for this weekend, Superintendent Jim Molley said.
Boone County Schools opened on a delay Wednesday but were closed every other day. Again, the issue was safety, Superintendent Bryan Blavatt said.
“We were anxious to get in school this week because the students had been off,” Mr. Blavatt said. “There is diminished learning. And I'm sure there is some cabin fever.”
All districts are planning to open Monday — weather permitting.
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