Sorry Kids, School's Back On

Well kids, it was fun while it lasted.

And parents, you can breathe easy knowing your kids won’t be tracking loads of snow through the house anymore—well, at least until the weekend hits.

Valley View administrators announced that all schools will resume classes Friday, complete with full bus service and a full after-school activity schedule. St. Dominic Catholic School will also resume classes Friday.

The announcements come after Bolingbrook schools were shut down for the past two days because of the massive blizzard that dropped more than 14 inches of snow on the area.

“It took an around-the-clock effor on the part of 50 Valley View School District building and grounds department staff members to make it happen,” said district spokesman Larry Randa.

According to Mike Lopez, the district’s director of Building, Operations and Maintenance, a team of 15 staff members worked four double shifts between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon plowing lots.   

Randa said the decision was made after district officials grappled with several issues, including:

• The clearing of snow and outdoor pathways to and from more than 300 doors in 21 schools, including all emergency exits
• Removal of huge drifts from the roof near main entrances at several schools and removal of snow from roof-top air vents on all schools
• The clearing of snow and ice on sidewalks around the schools
• The clearing of all parking lots to allow for orderly parking of student (in the case of the high schools), staff and visitor vehicles  

According to a district release, the storm forced the cancellation or postponement of several activities:

• The Feb. 3 VVSD Middle School Spelling Bee championships will be held at an as-yet-undetermined date next week.
• The Feb. 3 Valley View Educational Enrichment Foundation Spelling Bee will now be Feb. 10.
• The Feb. 3 F.A.N.S. of Bolingbrook mentoring program training will now be Feb. 10 Guiding Light at 5:30 p.m. for current mentors and 6 p.m. for new mentors.
• The Feb. 5 Irene King Town Hall meeting has been postponed to a date that has not been determined.
• The IESA 8th grade boys basketball Brooks Regional semifinals will be played at 4:15 and 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4. Regionals finals will be at 3 p.m. Saturday.
• The IESA 8th grade boys basketball Humphrey regional finals will be played at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4.