School kids get a longer weekend

By Harold Gwin

YOUNGSTOWN — The Saturday snowstorm dropped varying levels of snow across Mahoning County, causing some school districts to cancel school and some to delay the start of classes Monday.

The United Local School District was the only district in Columbiana County, the area hardest hit, to open its doors. There were reports of 20 inches or more of the white stuff.

“We did have a two-hour delay,” said Superintendent Ruth Ann Rinto, but the decision to open for classes was made Sunday.

Buses were cleaned, and all of the parking lots were cleared, Rinto said, adding that a check of roads across the district showed they were in good shape.

United buses all its students, so buried sidewalks weren’t an issue, she said, adding that attendance Monday was good.

The storm dumped less snow as it moved north. Half of Mahoning County’s public districts opted to shut down Monday. Six others operated under two-hour start delays, and one, Campbell, operated on a normal schedule.

No Trumbull County school districts were closed or even operated under a delay in starting times.

Youngstown schools were closed Monday, and Superintendent Wendy Webb said a decision on opening today might not be made until this morning.

City side streets were still in bad shape, and a lot of sidewalks remained impassable Monday afternoon, she said.

“You have to play it by ear,” said Boardman Superintendent Frank Lazzeri, who delayed his district’s start by two hours Monday.

Area superintendents consult with one another, talk to their transportation people and monitor various weather reports before making a decision to close schools, he said.

Most superintendents announce their decisions no later than 6 a.m. on a day that school is to be closed.

Lazzeri said he saw several accidents while driving Sunday and thought the two-hour delay would give road crews the added time needed to make sure streets were safe.

Poland Superintendent Robert Zorn said he initially had planned for a two-hour delay but changed his position Monday morning and decided to close the schools after consulting again with his bus coordinator and other local superintendents. Road conditions and sidewalks were bad, he said.

A new storm is supposed to hit the Mahoning Valley starting this afternoon, and superintendents will be looking closely at its effects as they decide about what will happen Wednesday, Zorn said.

Thomas Robey, Campbell superintendent, said the city did an excellent job clearing streets, and school parking lots were in good shape, prompting him to allow school to open on time Monday.

Sidewalks are “challenging,” he said, noting that it can sometimes take days for them to be cleared.

His biggest concern is how much more snow might arrive in today’s storm. There’s no place to pile another heavy snowfall, he said.

gwin@vindy.com