by Dr. Michael Rivard
School Superintendent
(This was written on Nov. 26, 2025, the first snow day of the school year.)
Just last night at the high-school hockey game, a group of third-graders spotted me in the crowd and ran over with excitement. They asked if school would be canceled tomorrow, their voices full of joy, and they even shared a little advice on what they thought I should decide.
Every winter brings that same familiar question when a storm is approaching: “Will we have school tomorrow?”
I write this article on the morning of our first snow day in the 2025–26 school year, a day that highlights how much thought goes into every decision. Families wait. Students hope. Staff prepare. And behind the scenes, a long list of decisions unfolds before a snow day ever becomes official.
Safety leads the way
It might seem like a simple decision, though it depends on many moving parts. It requires early mornings, constant communication and careful judgment. Our students travel in the dark during the coldest hours of the day, so we monitor weather patterns long before sunrise. We watch the National Weather Service. We stay in close contact with Stearns County emergency staff. We listen to city and county plow crews, transportation leaders and law enforcement. We track radar, wind speeds, ice predictions and road reports as the storm moves.
These updates never stop. A storm can shift. Snow can hit earlier or later than expected. Roads can freeze fast. We compare what forecasters predict with what we see outside our own windows. We also stay in close contact with the Sauk Rapids-Rice and St. Cloud Area school districts. Our superintendents meet, share information and track conditions together.
We consider our buildings and staff: Will buses start in subzero temperatures? Can parking lots be cleared in time? Can sidewalks stay safe? Can our nutrition teams get to school buildings to prepare and serve meals? Can student drivers handle the roads? Every answer shapes the final call.
Timing matters
Families should receive early notice. We try to make that happen, but winter weather often refuses to cooperate. A storm may form overnight. Road conditions may change within minutes. Visibility can drop without warning. We balance the desire to communicate early with the responsibility to make the most accurate call. No superintendent wants to cancel school too soon or keep schools open when conditions grow unsafe. The margin for error is small because the stakes are high.
Then comes the moment when the decision is clear. Road crews report poor conditions. Winds push snow into drifts. Ice forms under fresh powder. Or the forecast confirms a direct hit at the same time our students would be traveling. That is when we call it. Safety wins. It always does.
A snow day
Children wake up with excitement. They see white rooftops and streets buried in fresh snow. They grab boots, mittens, sleds and shovels. They head outside to build forts, pull each other on sleds and breathe in the cold air that stings their cheeks. Laughter replaces alarms. Play replaces routines. The day slows down in the best way.
Snow days remind us that school is not only about schedules. It’s about people. It’s about slowing down when nature demands it. It’s about joy, safety and shared experience.
Sometimes the best gift winter gives us is a simple pause – one full of fresh snow, happy kids and a day that reminds us to breathe.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Rivard.
