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D97 cancels outdoor activities due to cold temps

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 announced Friday that it is canceling all outdoor activities for Monday, Jan. 6, and Tuesday, Jan. 7, due to expected bitterly cold weather next week.

Temperatures for early next week are expected to be below zero. Classes at D97, however, will go on as scheduled, said D97 Superintendent Albert Roberts in an email sent Friday morning to families.

Full statement from Supt. Roberts released Friday Jan. 3.

The National Weather Service's forecast for Monday and Tuesday calls for frigid conditions in the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs with temperatures expected to be below zero. Our current plan is to hold school as scheduled, but cancel all outdoor activities on both days. However, we will monitor the temperatures and conditions in our buildings throughout the weekend and early Monday morning, as well as keep in constant contact with the Village and Districts 90 and 200, to determine if this plan needs to be altered. Any significant changes will be shared with the community via automated phone message, e-mail, the district's family of websites and the local media. We encourage you to monitor one or more of these communication resources for updates about the weather and its impact on the school schedule and district operations.

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. Students who are absent from school under these circumstances will be provided time to make up missed work.

Thank you for your continued commitment to education and support of our schools.