BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — With freezing temperatures and the possibility of sleet or ice expected this weekend, school leaders across the Brazos Valley are preparing for what could be a difficult start to next week.
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"The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority," said Stu Musick, Navasota ISD superintendent.
Winter weather moving in this weekend has school leaders across the Brazos Valley keeping a close eye on the forecast. Musick said district officials have "had some conversations about just prepping ahead of time, knowing it was coming in this weekend."
In Navasota ISD, that means getting ahead of the weather — winterizing pipes, checking boilers, and making sure buses are ready to roll if needed. Musick said the biggest question is what conditions look like after the weekend.
"If we do get the rain and then that turning into some sleet or some wintry mix and it's back down to 20 or 18 Monday morning. If that happens and if that's the case, then it's probably definitely going to affect us for what our plans would be Monday morning," Musick said.
District leaders could call for a late start — or cancel school altogether — depending on road conditions and temperatures.
It's not just school officials paying attention — families across the Brazos Valley are also worried about road conditions.
"It can get rough with power lines coming down and tree limbs falling and, the freezing rain is probably the worst scenario that we could get here," said Ed Gurka, a Brazos County resident.
"I think we're going to see just a bigger increase in roadway issues," said Jacob Stehle, another Brazos County resident.
Navasota ISD isn't the only district preparing. Several others — including Mumford, Rockdale, and Bryan ISD — are monitoring the forecast and taking steps now to keep students and staff safe, though they haven't made final decisions yet.
"It is the most important thing that we do and have to make decisions based upon that," Musick said.
As many school districts indicated, Monday's schedule will depend on the roads and the temperatures. Meteorologists are forecasting icy conditions throughout Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures staying below freezing.
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