There is a trademark list of indicators of bad weather in Pennsylvania, it includes dodging pot holes, snow covered back roads and temperature shifts from clear to terrible in five minutes time.

For students in the Central Greene school district, this can pose significant complication to their education.

From November to March, nature can be unpredictable, and local high schools keep a close eye on the weather in order to keep both the students and staff safe, especially when the roads in the area become icy and temperatures reach frigid lows.

Matthew Blair, assistant superintendent in the Central Greene school district, assists in making the decision of whether or not a delay or cancelation will happen.

According to Blair, the process is not as simple or straightforward as checking the weather, which is a common misconception among students and parents alike.

“One thing people often misunderstand is they believe one person is solely in charge of making the decision,” said Blair, “But that’s just not the case. There’s a lot more that goes into deciding what is safe and what is not.”

Central Greene school district and the Waynesburg Central High School, specifically, allows students to commute to school as opposed to taking the school bus every day. Because of this, the condition of the roads is a major concern for school and township officials.

“Our district has both state-maintained roads and township-maintained roads that feature an array of terrain,” said Blair. “The district also stretches over five different townships. Some of the townships are better staffed than others. Where one road may be perfectly clear, another may have a short-staffed crew working twice as hard to make the roads safe.”

Safety is the biggest concern for school officials when it comes to dealing with inclement weather.

“When we know the area is going to be hit with bad weather, whether its freezing temperatures or ice and snow that can compromise the safety of the road, we get the thoughts on ways it could be handled from a group of people,” said Blair. “We are in communication with all five superintendents in the county. We also listen to advice from our administration and transportation director along with officials in the townships.”

According to Blair, there are two possibilities to consider when proposing inclement weather actions.

The school district must first determine whether or not the temperature will increase to a safe level and if the roads will be able to be cleared in time. If so, then the result will likely be a delay. If not, then the case will likely lean more toward a cancelation.

In both of those cases, students and parents will be able to get the news in five different ways., said Blair

They will receive an automated phone call from the school.

Students and parents can also sign up to receive text messages and emails in regards to cancellations and delays.

The announcement will also be posted on the school’s website, and parents can also check local news stations KDKA, WTAE and WPXI.