HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW — With another round of dangerous bitter cold and snow, school leaders are already watching conditions closely for parents wondering whether schools will be open on Friday.
For superintendents like Frontier's Christopher Swiatek, that decision comes hours before most families get up, and it's about much more than the temperature.
"The communication pathways generally start at about 4:30 in the morning," Swiatek said. "There's a volley of multiple concerns and worries that each superintendent has for their particular district. Frontier specifically, we're not a high walking community, so our concerns are mostly roadway and travel safety."
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For Frontier schools, that means focusing on bus routes, road conditions and safety getting to school.
"Cold is a little bit tricky," Swiatek said. "There's not a quote-unquote policy that we follow."
Districts do have guidelines, but they're not a one-size-fits-all. Factors like wind chill, transportation and how many students walk to school all play a part.
"That's different from other districts, because it really depends on your walking population. If you're a high-walking-population district, then you take a harder look at that," Swiatek said.
Along with safety, districts also have to keep an eye on the calendar. New York State requires 180 days of instruction, and while some emergency days are built in, too many closures can mean makeup days later in the year.
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