April is Awesome for Kids: St. Michael Schools Will Start Two Hours Late April 19

The St. Michael-Albertville School District has postponed the start of the school day for Friday, April 19 by two hours. 

Buses will also run two hours later than their normal stop time. 

District officials made the call at about 9 p.m. Thursday night, as snow was still coming down at a steady clip in the St. Michael-Albertville area. 

More than 4 inches of snow had fallen by 5 p.m. Thursday and it was still coming, according to unofficial measurements taken by St. Michael Patch. Winds were clocking in at about 20 MPH, making visibility difficult in just semi-rural areas, such as Wright County Road 19 near the Albertville Premium Outlets. 

The postponement call came down earlier than what had been operating procedure in the past. District officials normally make the call early on the morning of the school day. But that policy has been revised, according to Dr. James Behle, after a school cancellation last Thursday was handed down after kids had boarded district buses. 

In an email to district parents, Superintendent James Behle wrote:

While some students who were on buses were brought to school, others were returned to home.  In the future, while I want to avoid such a late decision, all students on buses will be brought to school and parents notified.

Regardless of the circumstances, I want to assure you that we take your feedback and concerns seriously and have already addressed those issues and will continue to do so in the future.

This time, anyway, it appears the district isn't waiting until morning to make the call.

Snow is expected to taper off by mid-morning Friday, which could give snowplows from St. Michael and Albertville time to clear roads for school-bound kids. 

St. Michael Patch will keep you updated on any further developments.