Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) high school and middle school students are in classes for a full regulatory day while CRCSD elementary schools and surrounding districts such as College Community, Linn Mar, and Marion had school canceled due to icy road conditions.

Students in the entire CRCSD will not be expected to make this day up. Click this link to read Superintendent Dr. Brad Buck’s statement.

Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, 40 crashes were reported in the Cedar Rapids area, according to the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Several students complained on social media of unsafe road conditions that weren’t suitable for driving and a few were involved in traffic incidents.

“I park at Oakland near the entrance. My car got hit four times due to ice I think,” Logan Jakoubek, so., said. Jakoubek’s car has several scratches on the side after being hit repeatedly. He also believes that the bad road conditions should have delayed or canceled school today.

Health and Fitness and Early Childhood Development teacher Tammy Miller believes it was bad timing. “If they hadn’t waited we wouldn’t be at school right now,” Miller said. Miller has two children that attend Linn Mar schools, whose classes were canceled. Many students also criticized the timing of the district’s decision, as it was too late for high school and middle school students to stay home.

The winter weather advisory came in at 7:11 a.m., at which time high school and middle school buses had already left the lot and were picking up students. All buses except one were late to Kennedy High School this morning. Students and teachers in high school and middle school facilities had begun their descent to school before the advisory was alerted. The attendance office dealt with student tardies due to the road conditions and handed out approximately 500 passes to late students while 50-75 students were called in for the day.

“The roads and all side streets were complete ice,” Lydia Heskje, so., said. Heskje stayed home from school today due to her parents’ demands that the icy roads were not safe to drive on. She has also vocally demanded that a call should have been made earlier so all CRCSD students would be safe inside their homes.

Principal Jason Kline advised students on Twitter and via intercom at Kennedy High School to remain in the building and avoid driving throughout the day if possible.

“Students are reminded there is no release for Smart Time. All students with release during regular periods should consider staying here. Roads are very bad. Use the IMC instead of leaving,” Kline said.

Forty-Seven bags of salt were used to deice the sidewalks on Kennedy High School grounds this morning, according to the Kennedy custodial staff.