You wake up and look out your window. There are what seem to be gallons of snow on the ground, 15 inches of it. You run to your computer and look on the Niles North website. Snow day? Nope. Driving in dangerous conditions? Yes.

As the winter goes on, snow piles up and creates dangerous road conditions. Driving from point A to point B is difficult, especially when the streets are not plowed. On days like these, even experienced drivers have trouble commuting. Less experienced high school drivers are put in even more danger on icy, unplowed streets. The high school district should consider delayed starts or even snow days on days like this.

Parents are often unable to drive students on those days. The commute times to get to school and for them to go to work is extended. Often parents are forced to have their kids go on the bus so they can get to work on time. Even if they can drive their students to school, leaving early is a must and can be agitating.

The high school district should also consider snow days a viable option because the buses seem to always be late on days with dangerous road conditions. This causes students to be unsure if they missed the bus and stand, for what seems like forever, in the snow waiting for the bus.

Let’s not forget teachers since they also have a hard time getting to school from other suburbs in these conditions. Some teachers have to drive on the highway which is dangerous because of the speeds and congestion. This causes teachers to be late to classes and it obstructs from the students’ learning.

Rural schools often delay the start of school one or two hours on overly icy and dangerous mornings. With congested roads, impatient commuters and unplowed, unsalted roads, District 219 should consider helping its teachers and students arrive safely by adopting delayed starts and snow days on days when the roads are dangerous.