D97 to Monitor Dropping Temps, Plans to Hold School As Scheduled

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 has canceled all outdoor activities scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23, and will monitor dropping temperatures and building conditions Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, according to a message from the district. The district plans to hold school as scheduled, according to the message. 

Any significant changes will be shared with the community as early as possible via automated phone message, e-mail, the district’s family of Web sites and the local media.

"While we always make decisions about school closures with the best interest of our students and staff in mind, we also understand that parents/guardians are the best judge of their child’s particular needs and respect their right to keep them home if they feel that particular circumstances warrant an absence," the message reads. "Students who are absent from school under these circumstances will be provided time to make up missed work."

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a wind chill advisory for Cook and DuPage counties that will be in effect from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday, a time frame during which wind chill values will dip to as low as -22.

The wind chill will drop to about -20 by 10 p.m. Wednesday night before falling to as low as -22 as day breaks Thursday morning.

"A wind chill advisory means that the wind will combined with the very cold air to generate low wind chills," the NWS advisory reads. "This will result in frostbite and hypothermia if precautions are not taken."

The overnight low temperature Wednesday into Thursday is 0, according to the NWS forecast. Thursday's high is 9 and overnight low into Friday is -5.

Information courtesy of a message from Oak Park Elementary School District 97.