Frigid temperatures force many Southern Idaho schools to close on Monday, but not all schools...

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Across the region, many schools closed their doors due to the weather this week. But not all of them...

Frigid temperatures... high winds... icy roadways...

Throughout the early part of the week, weather conditions led to multiple school closures across the region.

“It’s a serious topic and decision.”

“Any time we have to make a decision on closing school due to weather, it’s really complicated.”

The complicated parts of the decision mean some inconsistencies across Southern Idaho about who closes and who doesn’t.

When school doors close, it comes with consequences beyond just the loss of instruction.

“For some of our students, school is where they get to be in a warm building, a safe place and get two meals,” said Cassandra Searby from the Kimberly School Dist.

So, when considering the insecurities some families face, the goal is to offer school resources as consistently as possible.

“If most of our students can get to school safely and our buses can travel safely, then school will go on,” said Searby

Then the question on many parents’ minds was why were some schools seeing closures and others staying open?

According to Twin Falls Superintendent Dr. Brady Dickinson, each situation is unique, number of bus riders and walkers, compared to passenger vehicles makes a big difference in Twin Falls.

“Tuesday the roads were in much better shape, so we felt like buses would be able to run on time and we didn’t have to worry about kids having to wait at bus stops for buses to come there. Monday, the roads were very slick,” said Dr. Brady Dickinson – T.F.S.D. Superintendent.

What about standards across the state or region that parents can look to that help plan for potential closure days on the horizon?

“Yeah, I think it’s worth a try. On every other issue, as we kick it around the state, people in Idaho feel strongly about local control so, the question is can you find that standard that everybody can agree to,” said Dr. Dickinson.

Ultimately, the decision to close schools has many layers, with varying degrees of importance in each school district.

Parents who are curious or concerned about their district’s policies, contact the district administration.

Copyright 2023 KMVT. All rights reserved.