We can all be grateful the school board wasn’t in charge of such a decision.

By Brandi Makuski

There you have it: anecdotal and light-hearted proof the Stevens Point Public School District is home to progressive minds that can act in the best interest of school kids so long as the school board isn’t involved.

District leaders made the call Friday afternoon to cancel school Monday, giving parents the time they needed to either miss work or make childcare arrangements. It’s a far cry from our neighbors to the west in Wisconsin Rapids, who remain steadfast in their decision to not make a decision on school cancellations until Sunday afternoon, leaving students- and parents- hanging in the proverbial winds.

The decision to cancel school comes from Superintendent Attila Weninger, who works with district transportation officials to formulate an opinion, based on information from city and county leaders as well as weather reports from the National Weather Service, which is now calling for wind chills of 55 below zero on Monday- not the kind of weather in which any kid should be walking to a bus stop.

As a parent myself, knowing three days in advance gives moms and dads all the time they need to arrange for childcare well in advance. Kids have already relished in two weeks off of school thanks to the Christmas/New Year’s holiday break. Some parents have already missed work due to that break, and perhaps even shelled out cash beyond their own already- strapped budgets to pay for a sitter. Yet, getting word so far in advance makes a huge difference for parents, and we all have district leaders to thank for it.

Had the decision been one left for the school board, it’s possible the decision to call off school could be mired in a web of nit-picking and accusations, something which seems to accompany the minutest of topics. Kudos to district leaders for their quick decision.