By Robert Perea
Snow days often spark debate in Lyon County. Some parents want earlier notifications, others want fewer cancellations or sometimes disagree with the School District’s decisions to cancel school or delay the start of the school day, especially when there may only be snow in some parts of the county, and none in others.
To help clarify how those decisions are made, Lyon County School District Communications and Public Relations Officer Skyler Tremaine explained how the district determines whether conditions warrant a 2-hour delay or cancellation.
She said when inclement weather is anticipated, conversations typically begin the night before to make sure everyone is on the same page and alert.
Beginning around 3:30 to 4:00 a.m., the LCSD transportation supervisor contacts the transportation lead in each attendance area. Together, they evaluate current conditions, forecasts, staffing, chain requirements, and any other factors heading into the morning. The transportation supervisor also reviews the Nevada 511 website to monitor road conditions across the region. After assessing conditions across all areas, the transportation supervisor reconnects with the area leads and then, by approximately 4:30 a.m., connects with the executive director of operations to determine next steps. If either the transportation supervisor or the executive director of operations believes a delay or cancellation is needed, they contact the superintendent and deputy superintendent for further discussion. If both agree that no action is needed, normal operations proceed.
“While many families would prefer we make a cancellation decision the evening before, however, we have to recognize that we live in Nevada and the weather is unpredictable to say the least,” Tremaine said. “A storm forecast to hit overnight may stall, weaken, or shift entirely. Making the call too early risks canceling school unnecessarily, and we have to be mindful that closures come with a cost. We don't want to put families in a position to plan around a closure that wasn't needed or put the district in a position where we are forced to extend further into the summer to make up for lost instructional days.”
One question that comes up often is why the entire district is delayed or canceled when one area may not have any snow at all. Tremaine said the reason is that many attendance areas rely on each other.
“We have teachers and staff who don't work in the area where they live, and we have students who attend schools outside of their home area,” she said. “Because of that interconnection, in almost all cases we delay or cancel district-wide to ensure that everyone can safely get where they need to be.”
When there is no snow on the ground in the morning but a storm is forecast throughout the day, Tremaine said that is also factored into the decision. She said the district has to consider whether conditions may deteriorate while buses are on afternoon routes, potentially stranding students or creating unsafe travel for staff and families heading home.
This was very similar to the delay issued last week.
“While no snow was forecast overnight, we knew the roads from the previous day's storm would still be hazardous, and allowing additional travel time was the safest course of action and that is why the decision to delay was made the night before,” Tremaine said. “The safety of our students, staff, and families is always our top priority, and all decisions are made with that commitment in mind.”
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