How Do IL Schools Decide To Close For Extreme Cold?: Officials Sound Off

With extreme cold expected this Friday, many Chicago-area students have their fingers crossed their school will close for the day.

And some schools in the Chicago area have already opted to do just that.

On Wednesday, Bremen District 228 in Oak Forest announced it would be switching to e-learning for Friday, allowing students to stay home. Bridgeport Catholic Academy in Chicago also will be moving its classes online and shutting its doors Friday "due to the extreme cold," NBC Chicago is reporting.

Thursday, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, as well as Joliet Township High School District 204 and Joliet Public School District 86 also announced they are switching to emergency e-learning.

Many other school districts have not yet made that call. But most schools are monitoring the cold weather situation in order to make their determination soon, school officials told Patch Wednesday.

Administrators for Libertyville School District 70 typically start contemplating whether a day off is necessary as soon as the National Weather Service issues a cold weather watch, said Robin Kollman, director of communications for Libertyville School District 70.

And many factors are considered when trying to determine whether to close schools for the day.

"The safety of our students and staff is weighed against the importance of keeping students in school. Safety comes first," she said. "While it is always a goal to have students in school, when safety is an issue, there is no compromise in placing children at risk. With that in mind, when there is a forecast of inclement weather, television and radio stations, as well as reports from the National Weather Service and Weather Channel, are monitored. And there is a facility review and check in with bus services."

D70, like many other suburban schools, will likely close if a cold weather warning is issued.

And the final decision is made by the district's superintendent after she consults with the district's bus company to see if the buses will be able to start and operate safely in the cold. She will also check with the district's director of operations on the conditions of the schools — in particular, will the schools be warm enough, Kollman said.

Other factors that are considered:

• Are parking lots and entrances to schools clear?
• Is it safe for children to walk to school or wait outside for a bus?

In addition, D70 officials typically check with area superintendents to see what they are planning to do.

For Glenbrook District 225, a determination to close schools typically comes when an extreme cold warning is issued. A warning is typically issued when the wind chill will be -30 degrees or colder with wind speeds 10 mph or greater or if the actual temperature is -15 degrees or colder, according to the school district's website.

For Chicago Public Schools, an exact temperature or wind chill does not determine whether school will close.

The district said it works closely with the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communication and evaluates: air temperature and wind chill, the mount of snow and ice on the ground, the accessibility of buildings and roads, potential issues with the heating/cooling systems or power outages and the ability to transport students safely on buses, according to NBC Chicago.

On Thursday, an extreme cold warning was issued for the Chicago area for 3 a.m. to noon on Friday. Wind chills between -30 and -40 are expected for central, north central and northeast Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.

Under the extreme cold conditions, frostbite to exposed skin could occur in as little as 10 minutes, and anyone who must go outside should dress in layers, including a hat, face mask and gloves.

• Extreme Cold Watch: Wind Chills 35 Below Zero Expected For Chicago Area

How To Watch For School Closings?

Here are some ways to stay informed on weather-related closings as Friday nears.

• Sign up for your local Patch.com newsletter.
• Check out the emergency closings center website.
• Follow your school district's Facebook page and other social media accounts.

Also, most schools will send out email alerts and make phone calls to parents if a decision to close schools is made.