Students in the Forest Grove District left school early on Friday and have yet to return to the classroom because of icy weather and dangerous driving conditions. There’s no school Thursday, district staff confirmed Wednesday evening.
“It was our desire to open school tomorrow. However, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” said FGSD Superintendent Dave Parker in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the roads in Western Washington County are still icy,” he said. “With the current temperatures only slightly above freezing, it doesn’t look like there will be enough ice/snow melting to allow our transportation to run safely. While some of the main roads have been cleared, most of the side streets remain too icy for buses to safely operate for school.”
He added that a decision about athletic practices would be determined by 12 p.m. Thursday.
All other activities were cancelled.
Parker thank district families for their patients, noting that the district has faced several “long, cold days” and that the district was anxious to return students to classrooms when it was safe to do so.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
