Friday morning on the Good Neighbor Hour on KLOE Goodland’s Gold 730, Rollie Halligan sat down with Goodland Public Schools Superintendent Bill Bierman to talk about one of the toughest calls a superintendent has to make—deciding whether to cancel school due to weather.
“These weather days, I take seriously. They’re hard decisions to make,” Bierman admitted. “I realize I can’t always please everybody.” Like any tough call, Bierman knows the decisions will be reviewed. “The board and I usually have a little discussion on Monday nights—asking if I made the best decision and reviewing how things played out.”
One major factor in Goodland’s approach? The district has maintained a consistent stance over the years: unless the roads are unsafe, school stays open—even on the coldest days. “Our board has been pretty persistent in the belief that if we can get to school safely, then that’s where kids should be,” Bierman explained. “On really cold days, our schools are often the best place for kids. They can get warm meals and stay in a safe, heated environment.”
Bierman also highlighted that Goodland’s transportation options have improved over the years, with better buses and enhanced technology to track routes and monitor conditions throughout the county. “We feel good about our ability to get kids to school safely. And since we don’t have many kids who walk to school or wait at outdoor bus stops like in larger cities, the risk from extreme cold isn’t as high for us.”
In some areas, where kids might be stuck waiting on a street corner in frigid temperatures, it makes sense to cancel school. “But here, most of our students are either dropped off by parents or picked up right at their homes by our buses,” Bierman said.
Still, he knows not everyone will agree with the decisions. “It’s kind of like being a referee,” he joked. “You make a call—block or charge—and half the people will say you got it wrong.” But ultimately, Bierman stands by the district’s approach, emphasizing that the priority is always student safety and well-being.
“We’re proud to be open. We want our kids in school, learning, and in a warm, safe place,” he concluded.
So, the next time the weather turns icy or the wind chill dips into the negatives, remember that behind the scenes, there’s a lot of thought, discussion, and care going into whether that school day goes on—or gets called off.
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