Warren County R-III School District administrators worked late into the evening last Friday to care for stranded students in the aftermath of a surprise winter storm that hit the area and prevented buses from being able to reach some of their destinations.About 50 students were brought back to Black Hawk Middle School, which served as a command center for parents to pick up students who couldn’t make it home on the bus.A light mist combined with subfreezing temperatures led to icy and treacherous road conditions, forcing the district to make a split decision regarding the safety of students.“The biggest issue was that nothing was on radar, but we had this mist,” said Superintendent Jim Chandler, Ph. D. “The forecast said temperatures would rise, so just about every school around felt it was best to give road crews a chance to work the roads.“We were in a situation waiting to see how it plays out, because we don’t want to put kids out on the roads at the worst time.”Ultimately, administrators decided to keep students in for the entire day and give salt trucks an opportunity to clear the roads. It also took longer for bus drivers to reach the bus garage, with four of them not able to make it due to weather.“We did our best to get as many kids home as we could,” said Transportation Director Kevin Pirrung. “Around 4 p.m. it started misting again, and I knew we were done at that point.”With routes on Highway W and other rural areas presenting major issues, the district decided to send the buses back to the garage to avoid significant danger. Five buses were unable to complete their routes, returning students to Black Hawk Middle School.Administrators waited with students until parents were able to arrive, with the last student departing shortly after 11 p.m.“Obviously it was a long night, but they handled themselves in a manner above and beyond what is expected, and we are so happy,” said Chandler. “Our administration and staff did an amazing job staying around for those kids.”Assistant Superintendent Jill Schowe, Ph.D., was one of the administrators working the command center at Black Hawk Middle School and says the community came together in a challenging situation. The building food manager heard about the situation and came in to prepare a hot dinner for the stranded students.“It always amazes me how all the educators pull together from bus drivers to paraprofessionals and everybody who was willing to step in and do their part,” said Assistant Superintendent Aaron Jones.There also was a group of students at the Latch Key After School Program that were unable to make it home for a while. A community member responded by delivering pizza and drinks to those students to bring comfort to an unsettling situation.“I think we did as best as we could and I think it turned out for the best,” said Pirrung. “The parents that live in the community are tremendously supportive of us.”Warren County R-III School District