Update: Classes are cancelled Wed., Jan 7 due to extreme cold. District offices will remain open. Staff is directed to follow cold day procedures.

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The St. Joseph School District plans to hold classes Wednesday even as temperatures drop below zero and wind chills drop below
“We know that it’s going to be close to that threshold tonight but we also know we have 27 attendance locations that are warm that will have hot meals, warm meals for our students and so we feel like our school for many of our students are the best places to be when it is so cold,” said Dr. Jake Long, Deputy Superintendent and Dir. of Student Services for the district. “We’re really advising our parents to make sure that children have hats, coats, gloves, all exposed skin is covered.”

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory that will be in effect from 3 a.m. Wednesday until 9 a.m. Thursday.  Winds are forecasted at 15 to 25 below zero with the coldest wind chills Wednesday morning and again early Thursday morning.  Temperatures will also be below 0 and 5 below zero Wednesday morning and not make it out of the single digits Wednesday afternoon.

The impact combination of the bitter cold temperatures and strong winds will cause dangerous conditions.  The Weather Service said frostbite can occur in 3o minutes or less if skin is exposed.

Long said the district is urging parents to make sure their kids are bundled up.

“Regardless it’s going to be cold,” said Long. “There is a threshold to guide our decision making but it’s not as clear-cut as it may seem.”

Long said unless the forecast changes early Wednesday morning for parents to plan on sending their kids to school tomorrow.

“We’ll try to make the call as early as possible to give our parents as much time as possible,” said Long. “But certainly until something is decided parents need to plan on dressing their children warm and going to school tomorrow.”

Long said the district has been in contact with Apple Bus Company to make sure the buses are in working condition for the morning and asks that parents make sure their kids are on time at the bus stop because one late person can cause the bus to be late down the road which could lead to kids spending more time outside in the cold.