Student Safety Guides Winter Closure Decisions in NEMO

By Mike Scott, NEMOnews Media Group

NORTHEAST MISSOURI — With winter weather forcing school closures across northeast Missouri, some residents are left wondering why student activities — such as basketball games — sometimes still go on. NEMOnews Media group contacted several area school superintendents who say student safety is always the top priority, even if conditions change throughout the day.

“We always make our decisions on what is best and safest for kids,” said Ryan Bergeson, superintendent of Scotland County R-1. “Each situation is unique such as morning, afternoon, and evening temperatures. There are occasions when travel is not safe in the morning hours but later in the day travel is much safer.”

Alex Van Delft, superintendent of Knox County R-1, said decisions start well before bad weather arrives. “We usually begin watching the weather patterns 14 days out,” he said. “Our priority is ensuring that buses, students, and staff do not have to drive home in deteriorating conditions. We never want to release school into a storm.”

Van Delft’s team begins checking roads between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. “We divide the different portions of the county to ensure we check both the blacktop highways and the gravel backroads, as conditions often differ between them,” he said. “Our goal is to make the cancellation call before 6:00 a.m.”

In Shelby County, Superintendent Billy Daleske said, “I make the decision based on whether or not our buses, student drivers, patrons and staff can get out on the roads and travel safely.” He said the timing of winter storms is one of the biggest challenges but emphasized, “I would rather err on

the side of caution when making decisions about when to cancel school for weather.”

South Shelby uses a formal board policy to guide activity decisions. “Here at South Shelby we utilize MCE Board Policy 5241,” Daleske said. The policy states that unless individually approved by the superintendent, “after-school activities will be canceled on the day which school is closed or dismissed early due to weather or other emergency conditions.”

Still, conditions can change between early morning and late afternoon. “There are times when the temperature in Missouri can be extremely cold in the morning, and be in the 40s with sun shining by the afternoon, which can play a factor in that decision,” Daleske added.

Palmyra Superintendent Jason Harper said collaboration and communication are essential. “Anytime we can go to school we want to get the students in. It is good for them, and it is good for our staff too,” he said. “I use a variety of information to make decisions … I also have contacted Mike Shaefer from the county road crews, and I have gotten feedback from the MSHP in the past too.”

Harper emphasized that every possible scenario is considered. “All of these options are in play, but the number one factor in the decision-making process is student and staff safety.”

He added, “We want students and staff at school whenever possible,” but stressed the importance of flexible, well-informed planning across the region.

With winter not officially beginning until Dec. 21, and January 2026 forecast to bring below-average temperatures and varied precipitation due to a La Niña weather pattern, school leaders expect more weather-related disruptions in the coming weeks.

Through it all, their goal remains the same.

“Student and staff safety,” Harper said, “is the number one factor in the decision-making process.”