School districts reacted differently to the ice storm

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Township schools in Marion County canceled classes Friday.  IPS placed its students on a two hour delay.

The decision to delay or cancel was made around 5 a.m. Friday.

Superintendents held a conference call. They talked about the storm, and how their districts and their students would be affected.

“We have students who take the bus to school, we have students who drive to school, we have students whose parents drive them to school and we have kids who walk to school,” said Mary Lang, spokesperson for Wayne Township Schools. 

Lang says her district's early morning decision was based upon uncertainty in the forecast.

“We just couldn't feel confident that everything would be cleared to start school two hours late. So our choices were a two hour delay or close for the day. We opted to close for the day,” said Lang.

Across town, IPS administrators made a different decision. Students headed to school, but on a two hour delay. Spokesperson John Althardt says deciding to cancel or delay is a safety decision, but IPS must also consider student welfare.

“We know a tremendous amount of students depend on us for their meals. Breakfast, lunch etc. On a Friday, a lot of our students will take home healthy snacks for the weekend,” said Althardt.

IPS made the final decision to go on a two hour delay after receiving input from forecasters, its police force, and the district's bus drivers.

Terrain is another important factor school districts take into consideration.

Because of hills or open farmland, road conditions in rural districts may be very different than road conditions in the city or suburban districts.