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Commuters make their way through the Loop as snow begins to fall on February 1, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be closed for the first time in more than a decade on Wednesday due to the massive blizzard sweeping across the US. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be closed for the first time in more than a decade on Wednesday due to the massive blizzard sweeping across the US.
A statement posted on the school district’s website said that due to the severe snowfall Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, there will be no school “out of an abundance of caution.”
School-related programs, after-school programs, and sports were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
“We have said that safety would guide this decision and we are anticipating severe and dangerous weather conditions that would be harmful to students, their commute and their routine school day. We cannot risk or compromise their safety,” CPS Interim Chief Executive Officer Terry Mazany stated in the announcement.
The district said that principals, assistant principals, lunchroom managers, janitors, security officers, and engineers needs to report to their schools. Meanwhile, teachers will not report to work.
Parents, communities, teachers, and students should keep monitoring any announcements made on television, radio, or the district’s website, CPS said.
More than 400,000 students are currently enrolled in Chicago schools and the last time CPS closed down schools for a snow day was in January 1999.
The blizzard has already forced airliners to cancel thousands of flights across the country on Tuesday with more likely slated for Wednesday.
