Why was school delayed today in central Iowa???

[candg4ever]

Do you want to pay more in taxes duebto the overtime you would have to pay the maintenance workers to come in earlier? It is all cost benefit. Add in the liability issues if something goes wrong or a kid doesn't get picked up or whatever. Sucks to make that call but sometimes you just have to make it.

It is NOT all tied to finances, but rather safety for the students. I drove a school bus, so I can speak from some limited experience. Sometimes, even if the buses do start, the fuel sitting in the tank is still in a somewhat gelled state and the buses will not continue to run if fuel reaches the engine in that state. There are additives that are used to stop that, but it doesn't always work. It depends on where the fuel was refined and processed, and the amount of additive they put in that fuel during processing for the winter months. Even if fuel is purchased from the same source all the time, (and it usually is), the mixtures may be different from batch to batch. For example, a couple of weeks ago, one or two school districts had no problems with their buses starting and running, while several other districts did.

The extra time allows for experimentation with additive combinations to see if they will work over an extended period of time. Just because a bus will start, doesn't mean it will continue to run during an entire route. The schools, (and parents), don't want to take a chance on students being stranded on a frigid bus waiting for an alternative ride.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

People complain if you close/delay and people complain when you don't. Its a losing situation for those involved in making the decision.

 

[Wesley]

To be fair, I work with alot of underpriviledged kids in Polk County and I'm pretty sure the safest place for them during this weather is likely at school.

They will be fed couple meals at the schools.

 

[3TrueFans]

So what happens tomorrow? Low in DSM is -9 tonight. Another delay??

I don't think it's supposed to get anywhere near that cold tonight is it? Looks like somewhere around -10 to -12 wind chill at 8am tomorrow morning for Ames/Des Moines which is a far cry from -27 to -30, so no delay tomorrow.

 

[Wesley]

It is NOT all tied to finances, but rather safety for the students. I drove a school bus, so I can speak from some limited experience. Sometimes, even if the buses do start, the fuel sitting in the tank is still in a somewhat gelled state and the buses will not continue to run if fuel reaches the engine in that state. There are additives that are used to stop that, but it doesn't always work. It depends on where the fuel was refined and processed, and the amount of additive they put in that fuel during processing for the winter months. Even if fuel is purchased from the same source all the time, (and it usually is), the mixtures may be different from batch to batch. For example, a couple of weeks ago, one or two school districts had no problems with their buses starting and running, while several other districts did.

The extra time allows for experimentation with additive combinations to see if they will work over an extended period of time. Just because a bus will start, doesn't mean it will continue to run during an entire route. The schools, (and parents), don't want to take a chance on students being stranded on a frigid bus waiting for an alternative ride.

There may not be very many backup buses available and drivers on call.

 

[wartknight]

Waukee ended up canceling last week after first calling a late start because a bunch of buses wouldn't start

 

[awd4cy]

I went to school in North Central Iowa in the 80s/90s. We ALWAYS cancelled/delayed when weather was cruddy like this. I don't know where some of you went to school, but I don't think it is any different than it was back then.

I think it's kinda silly that schools in Central Iowa called off school when there was no snow at all. Yes, I understand that the windchill was -30, but that has happened many times when I was going to school and we never called off because of the cold. Also, I was in high school only 4 years ago. I think the windchill was considerably lower before 8 this morning than it was at 10.

 

[kingcy]

It is NOT all tied to finances, but rather safety for the students. I drove a school bus, so I can speak from some limited experience. Sometimes, even if the buses do start, the fuel sitting in the tank is still in a somewhat gelled state and the buses will not continue to run if fuel reaches the engine in that state. There are additives that are used to stop that, but it doesn't always work. It depends on where the fuel was refined and processed, and the amount of additive they put in that fuel during processing for the winter months. Even if fuel is purchased from the same source all the time, (and it usually is), the mixtures may be different from batch to batch. For example, a couple of weeks ago, one or two school districts had no problems with their buses starting and running, while several other districts did.

The extra time allows for experimentation with additive combinations to see if they will work over an extended period of time. Just because a bus will start, doesn't mean it will continue to run during an entire route. The schools, (and parents), don't want to take a chance on students being stranded on a frigid bus waiting for an alternative ride.

I ran my chore tractor the coldest 2 days of the winter with no problems. So did most of the farmers in the state. Semi's run in the cold weather also. About the only excuse for having fuel issues in cold weather is lack of planning.

 

[isuno1fan]

I don't think it's supposed to get anywhere near that cold tonight is it? Looks like somewhere around -10 to -12 wind chill at 8am tomorrow morning for Ames/Des Moines which is a far cry from -27 to -30, so no delay tomorrow.

Just watched the KCCI noon weather and they said -9 tonight with wind chills around -20.

 

[3TrueFans]

Just watched the KCCI noon weather and they said -9 tonight with wind chills around -20.

I suppose it depends on the wind then. If it's going to be -5 and windy at 8am then I'd expect a delay. If it's what wunderground or the weather channel say then I'd guess no delay but maybe they'll update soon with new information.

Edit: wunderground maybe just changed a little, they say maybe around -10 wind chill tomorrow morning which I'd guess would be no delay.

 

[cloneswereall]

I think it's kinda silly that schools in Central Iowa called off school when there was no snow at all. Yes, I understand that the windchill was -30, but that has happened many times when I was going to school and we never called off because of the cold. Also, I was in high school only 4 years ago. I think the windchill was considerably lower before 8 this morning than it was at 10.

Unless you went to the only school district in the state that didn't shut down when the air temp was -30 or lower with wind for two or three straight days in the winter of 08-09, your school did cancel while you were in school because of cold.

 

[awd4cy]

Unless you went to the only school district in the state that didn't shut down when the air temp was -30 or lower with wind for two or three straight days in the winter of 08-09, your school did cancel while you were in school because of cold.

Pretty sure there was snow involved with that day you are talking about in 09. We had just gotten a foot of snow the day before and most of the gravel roads still had yet to be cleared. I'm sure that factored into it.

 

[alarson]

I said I can get why the schools start late. What I don't get is why the before school program has to start late. This program is run independent of the school. The caretakers aren't teachers, for lack of a better word they are a daycare.

They normally open at 6:30, yet on late start days they open at 8:30. There is nothing that prevents them from opening at 6:30 on a cold day. Bad snow, okay I get that, but a cold day is different. Temp is nearly the same between 6:30 and 8:30. And this service isn't utilized by kids that walk to school. And even if their were kids that walked to it, those kids would still be "protected" by the late start because they could show up any time before school started and be part of the program.

Sorry for the rant, but sometimes it seems the school systems like to crap on the working parents of the world.

My guess is because in those situations the employees of that daycare are paid for 2 hours or whatever the time differential is between normal open and school start. Opening at the normal time and then running until the new school start time after the delay would be double that.

 

[cloneswereall]

Pretty sure there was snow involved with that day you are talking about in 09. We had just gotten a foot of snow the day before and most of the gravel roads still had yet to be cleared. I'm sure that factored into it.

That storm was from the 09-10 winter.

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

I didn't think it was that bad in Ankeny. I can understand schools north and east of here cancelling, but we didn't get any snow and the wind died down considerably before dawn.

I know Des Moines had the sense not to delay or cancel, but what's with all the suburbs delaying? Is this a new fad? Is there not a way to treat school buses to help them run better in cold temps, or was that part of budget cuts?

Des Moines cancelled class last Thursday instead of delayed like every other school in the metro. i think they heard from a lot of parents. probably should have been delayed today but thankful they didn't because my pilot light ignition went out last night. 50 degrees indoors this morning.

 

[Iastfan112]

Grand Forks Public didn't cancel or delay despite it still being -11 with -32 wind chill.

 

[Bret44]

That storm was from the 09-10 winter.

That icy ***** hit Ames hard. Fun times. Cold walk to the bar.

 

[wxman1]

Also with the daycare opening two hours late is also a policy issue. Much easier to have a standard policy then to take each occurrence separately. It should be laid out in your handbook.

Say the delay was due to snow...is the parking lot cleared yet at 6:30? What about the walk ways? Okay what if it was at one school but not another.

I hate to be blunt but tjink big picture. They have been doing this a lot longer than you have been a parent.

 

[im4cyclones]

Funny that some of you are like, "well, I am outside now and it is okay." They can't wait until right before to make that decision. It needs to be made in advance, using the best information available. I don't blame them for delaying to protect their butts from lawsuit-happy parents.

Most schools have partner schools who determine if they go, delay, or cancel. That way they aren't alone - my guess is the first question in a liability lawsuit is what other neighboring schools did. If they delayed and you didn't, and something happened, your *** is in trouble.

And if Waukee gets sued and loses, who pays? They aren't a private company. They can't declare bankruptcy and cease operations. The Waukee taxpayers end up paying for it, one way or another. So we all should be glad our schools err on the side of caution.

 

[im4cyclones]

I ran my chore tractor the coldest 2 days of the winter with no problems. So did most of the farmers in the state. Semi's run in the cold weather also. About the only excuse for having fuel issues in cold weather is lack of planning.

So you got your one tractor up and going. Whoopty-doo!

These superintendents are running multi-million dollar business operations. They aren't idiots.