CINCINNATI — Parents and students in many districts across Greater Cincinnati are making plans for a second day outside the classroom this week as a snowstorm ushered in arctic air.
Citing the potentially double-digit negative temperatures, including wind chill, districts like the Cincinnati Public School District announced they would be closed once again on Tuesday, and, with temperatures not expected to rise significantly throughout the week, we talked to parents and students about their plans.
While playing with his two kids at Mount Storm Park, Sean Davis told us he was soaking in the fun before the frigid temps arrived.
"It really doesn't get better," he said.
He acknowledged that the good times would be followed by what essentially would be a shelter-in-place as he and his wife trade off who would have the kids accompany them to work.
WATCH: We talk with parents about their plans for school closures
"We're just making the best of it. You've got to roll with the punches. My wife and I kind of balance," he said.
For Walnut Hills student Maxfield Holloway, the prospect of an extended stay at home was appealing. Beyond a trip to Perfect North Tuesday, he planned to hunker down.
"I'm not going to leave my house," he said. "I'm going to stay home and play Xbox."
The aversion to the outside wasn't purely for relaxation, he said. Holloway told us his mom normally drops him off at school around 10 minutes before the doors open, and that's not something he was looking forward to facing in double-digit negative temps.
"I'd have to be dressed like this," he said, waving at this sledding outfit. "Like, snow boots, snow pants, snow jacket, I don't want to do this to school."
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We reached out to nearly a dozen school districts about their plans to reopen and how they evaluate conditions before making a call to bring students back.
The Sycamore School District initially announced it would reopen on Tuesday before rescinding that decision and choosing to remain closed after facing backlash.
The Indian Hill Exempted Village School District officials told us late Monday that they planned to return to campus on Tuesday.
The Cincinnati Public School District issued the following statement:
Cincinnati Public Schools closed due to forecasted snow, extreme cold and dangerous wind chills that created safety concerns for students traveling to and from school.
In advising the superintendent, the District reviewed multiple weather forecasts, assessed conditions on District streets and considered the exposure students could face while walking or riding buses. Based on those factors, the decision was made to prioritize student safety and close schools.
The same criteria are used to determine whether schools will be open on any inclement weather day.
Lakota Local Schools issued a statement as well:
Several different factors are considered when making a decision to close or delay school for weather-related reasons. We look at road and parking lot conditions and how they may or may not affect buses running and arriving on time. We also look at wind chill, along with multiple forecasts to assess how much and how quickly the temperature will change throughout the morning. We consider temperature and sidewalk conditions and how they may affect the students walking to school.
Our Chief Operating Officer and his team begin monitoring these conditions the evening prior to any sort of inclement weather and throughout the night, as conditions continuously change. We know that closings and delays can create challenges for our families. That is why all of these things are carefully considered and weighed as we make the best decision for the safety of our students and staff.
A Lakota Local Schools spokesperson told us the district was not yet at the point with instructional hours where they would need to implement remote learning.
