As students sleep dreaming of a snowday Dr. Tom Williams, KSD’s superintendent, awakes at 4 a.m. to begin a conference call with other St. Louis schools. The topic? Whether or not to have a snow day. Over the past four years KSD has averaged 3 snow days per school year. Although snow days offer a break for the students, few know what happens behind the scenes at KHS.

“A number of factors go into deciding if we’re having a snow day or not,” Dr. Michael Havener, principal, said. “We look into road conditions, forecasts for the day, how well the buses can run and if the buildings will be ready for students and staff, but ultimately it’s the superintendent’s call on whether or not to have a snow day.”

Williams collaborates with different local agencies such as the Kirkwood Police, Fire and Street Departments in order to make an educated decision on whether or not to have a snow day.

“We do the obvious stuff like look at the forecasts and predictions along with temperatures for the day the night before,” Williams said. “Normally, the West and South county superintendents get together and we conference call and get everyone’s opinions before making a decision on what we at Kirkwood will do for the day.”

However, before the decision is made on whether to have a snow day or not, a group of 17 custodians and additional maintenance workers begin work to clear the KHS campus. Andy Nelson, head custodian, is one of the 17-person crew of custodians tasked with clearing up the sidewalks of KHS. Although maintenance workers clear the parking lots with truck-mounted plows, much of the campus has to be shoveled by hand, according to Nelson.

“It takes us a day and a half, at the least, to clear out the campus,” Nelson said. “Especially when [snow] falls during the night. There’s really nothing we can do [to prepare] because we don’t have a midnight shift, which really hurts our crew sometimes.”

Although students and staff occasionally enjoy the snow, Nelson is not among them. Since custodians come to work snow or shine many don’t see the allure in a snow day as the students do, according to Nelson.

“Please don’t wish for snow and please don’t come up to me and say you want a snow day,” Nelson said. “We’ve had our allotment of days and everyone should be happy with those.”