Public schools in Hinsdale, Darien and Clarendon Hills and Woodridge were all open on Tuesday despite the winter storm, though most cancelled after-school activities.
Many private schools in the area—who often bring students from further away—were closed, including Hinsdale Adventist Academy, Kingswood Academy and Nazareth Academy. Public schools were also closed in many nearby towns, including Wheaton, Lemont and Naperville.
Patch reached out to our readers on Facebook to find out whether they thought keeping schools open was a good idea.
Yes, it was good to keep schools open:
“We are a-ok with it. The roads are currently quite passable... and the children should be done with school before the heaviest accumulations occur. I think it's fine.”
– Dian McKillip, Woodridge Patch Facebook
“It was fine to stay open. We live in Chicago for God’s sake! Actually, I think that many schools closed prematurely based on all the media hype.”
– Laurie Czepiel-Berg, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Patch Facebook
“As long as the kids get home, and parents can get home to get them off the bus safely, they need to learn.”
– Laura Richards, Woodridge Patch Facebook
“Yes! News flash: we live in Chicago and sometimes it snows.”
– Nina Tuccori Fortin, Woodridge Patch Facebook.
“Not a problem that my daughter had school today. Didn't even need the extra time I allowed to pick her up.”
– Cheryl Coglianese Freburg, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Facebook
“I think we need a little [perspective] here. It's not a blizzard! It's snow in the Chicagoland area in March and not unheard [of]. Given the circumstances, I think D68 made the best possible decision. D68 is not that spread out when compared with a Naperville or Plainfield. Most kids, especially elementary age kids, live with in a reasonable distance for safe bus, car and walking travel.
– Kelly Ann, Woodridge Patch Facebook
No, schools should have closed:
“Not a good idea… from my 15+ years [as an] educator and administrator: In my humble opinion, I think they should have closed schools. Why? Most kids are too excited and cannot concentrate on a day of a snowstorm. Not a good call… take [a] snow [day] and continue with this ISAT testing next day.”
– Sean M. Karaffa, Woodridge Patch Facebook
“I'm in Lemont, [where schools were closed.] I thought it was dumb when there was no snow. But now it probably was a safe call. No students/parents or teachers will have to fight to get home.”
– Tiffany Woods, Darien Patch Facebook
“I must admit, I'm worried about the poor bus drivers navigating the snow.”
– Lynnie Ley, Darien Patch Facebook
“While I do not have a dog in this race, it is also about safety. Some districts probably sided on the side of safety. Not sure I would want my child on a bus with 4+ inches of snow and not knowing if the village has plowed the streets. Yes, it is winter and it snows, but believe me, if there is a school bus accident, those same parents will be lined up with attorneys in hand filing a lawsuit. Sometimes child safety comes first.”
– Laura Zawodniak, Woodridge Patch Facebook
Other observations:
“If anything, I think ISAT's would have been a factor to close schools. A lot of parents won't send their kids to school in this weather and those kids would have to make up the tests (huge pain in the neck). I work in a nearby district and we stayed open; while I'm jealous of my friends who had the day off, I'll be happy on May 31 when we are out for the summer.”
– Kristi Shaheen, Woodridge Patch Facebook
“As a teacher in a neighboring district and a parent of a Dist. 68 student, I would hope school administrators would NEVER undermine the safety of our children for high stake tests that do not adequately reflect student learning. I sent my daughter to school today, but have been fully prepared to pick her up early if I felt the roads were getting bad. Luckily, the Village has kept up so far.”
– Misha Bartolomei, Woodridge Patch Facebook
"Here's my two cents... why has the media gotten that desperate to get website "hits" and create news from nothing that you all are (actively) stirring the pot over whether there was a snow day or not?"
– Campbell Holinger, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Patch Facebook
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