Parkway Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty, who makes the final call on snow days, explains what factors are a part of the decision.

For students and teachers, snow days begin with a phone call early in the morning that starts off with the all too familiar phrase “Due to the inclement weather…” For third year Parkway Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty, Snow days go in a much different direction.

Marty is a man who knows his snow, the former Menomonee Falls School District superintendent had been calling off school for years in suburban Milwaukee before moving to Saint Louis.

Adapting to the Midwest mentality on snow was an obstacle for Marty.

“In Milwaukee, we simply have more equipment. So even with six inches of snow, school will still be in session,” Marty said. “It’s much different in St. Louis. While you don’t have nearly as much snow, sleet and ice are much more of a factor.”

There is no direct collaboration with any meteorologists other than what can be seen on the news, however Marty does concede with other superintendents to make a mutual decision.

“We will have a conference call around 4 a.m. and usually make the final decision by 5:00 a.m. so the custodians are not at the school,” Marty said. “Our ultimate goal is to have school if at all possible, but in no way put any risk on students.”

So next time the news is calling for a blizzard and you have an anxiety attack over not knowing whether school will be called off, be mindful that the decision is in good hands.