DPS Opens Despite Record Cold Snap
DENVER – (CBS4) A record cold snap has caused the closure of most schools along the Front Range, but Denver Public Schools were open on Wednesday.
A major factor in the closures has been concern for students waiting at bus stops in the subzero temperatures. On Wednesday some Denver students were still not prepared for the weather while they waited for their bus.
A CBS4 crew shot video of some students getting off the bus and entering school without a jacket or gloves on. Others walked through the snow with just a pair of tennis shoes.
While DPS decided to open on Wednesday after being closed Tuesday, the final decision on whether to send students to school was given to parents. An excused absence was given to any student that didn't attend on Wednesday because of the weather.
DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg said making the decision to keep schools open was difficult.
"Safety was the overriding priority. When we looked yesterday we looked at the snowy and icy conditions of the roads and we didn't feel they were in a condition for our schools to be open. Today the roads are in much better shape and traffic is in much better shape," Boasberg said.
Parents dropping students off at Hill Middle school Wednesday morning said they had mixed reviews on the decision.
"I think it's alright. It's probably not what I would have done as far as having them go to school, but I think they'll survive," parent Chuck Stary said.
Another Hill Middle School parent said she was just fine with the district's choice.
"I was kind of hoping they had school," parent Lee Hull said.
Boasburg said that it was very important to keep Denver schools open to provide education and support services for children, including counseling and hot meals. About 60 percent of the DPS student population qualifies for free or reduced meals. That adds up to 47,000 students. For those children, attending school gives them two hot meals each day.
With more than 330 buses on the road Wednesday Boasburg said that most were on time and the district encountered few problems.
