District out of snow days; Fridays may be make-up days

No school on Tuesday adds a fifth snow day to the number of days missed by students in the Boundary County School District school year because of the weather. 

It is quite likely that students will have to make up one or more missed days.

BCSD Supt. Don Bartling said the district allow for four snow days a year and any more than that have to be made up at the end of the year.  Bartling however said he would like to see the days made of on Fridays since BCSD has a four-day week.

“It has been a higher number of snow days this year,” said Barlting. “It just makes more sense to add a couple Fridays than extending to summer vacation.”

Is is estimated that 15 inches fell of snow fell in Bonners Ferry and Boundary County . Another two to 10 inches of snow and up to 30 mile per hour winds were expected between Wednesday and today.

BCSD transportation supervisor Art Linnemeyer said he listens to weather reports, communicates with city police and county sheriff and listens to road reports, to determine whether or not to close school.

 His day begins at 2:30 a.m. when a storm is anticipated. Linnemeyr gets into his vehicle and drives about 75 to 100 miles of county and highway roads to check conditions and calculate what is coming. 

He does all this to inform bus divers and BCSD employees the information on a closure by 5 a.m.

“I check county roads, bad spots, conditions and make a judgment,” said Linnemeyer. “With that many kids to take care of you have to put as much effort into it as you can.”

Linnemeyer will call Bartling usually by 4:45 a.m. with the call.  The info has to get out fast as drivers are often at the bus barn by 5:30 a.m. getting ready for their route.

“He has asked me of I want to take a ride with him one of these days and I just haven’t taken him up on it yet,” Bartling said.

Typically school is not canceled in the middle of the day, said Linnemeyer.  The district feels it would put the children in danger to drop them at their bus stops while parents are at work. Parents can always pick their children up midday if they are concerned.