Indian Prairie School District 204 Superintendent Adrian Talley told critics this week his decision to keep schools open Feb. 2 despite incoming snow was based on conditions and the forecast available at 4:45 a.m.
Speaking at Monday’s school board meeting, he acknowledged that “had we seen the snow coming down at 4:45 (a.m.) similar to what it was at 7, I’m certain the decision would have been different,” Talley said.
The problem was they couldn’t wait until 7 a.m. to make the decision so the best call was made with the information in hand, he said. By the time the storm was over later Wednesday, between six and eight inches of snow was on the ground.
Talley said all of the area school district superintendents were in the same situation and met twice Feb. 1 to discuss what each was planning to do the next day. Some decided to switch to an at-home e-learning day while others, like Indian Prairie and Naperville School District 203, opted to wait.
Talley started driving around to check on conditions at various schools about 4 a.m. Feb. 2, and other employees were already out by 3 a.m., he said. Then he talked again with the superintendents of districts that had not yet canceled class, he said.
“At that time we decided we could open our schools,” he said of the conference call with District 203, Wheaton/Warrenville School District 200 and Lisle School District 202.
Indian Prairie had the option to switch to a remote learning day but had they done that, instruction could not be done live, Talley said.
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Beyond that, school bus drivers, teachers, staff and student athletes needed to be alerted by 5 a.m. if in-person classes were canceled, he said. Some employees do not live nearby, he said.
By the time snowfall picked up a few hours later, it was too late to change the decision and call off school, Talley said.
Prior experience has taught him that altering plans at the last minute “creates more problems than solves them,” he said.
“For parents who have left for work knowing we will be open, they now have to return home knowing their children may be staying there,” Talley said. “Buses then have to pick up children who are already dropped off and taken back home.
“There is never a win-win situation when a superintendent makes a decision about snow,” he said.
Indian Prairie reported 4,902 student absences Feb. 2, according to district data. Those absences were excused because of the snowstorm.