Some local parents have expressed frustration after the Hanover School Division was the only division in the area that remained open during today’s frigid weather.

Superintendent Randy Dueck admits that he has been contacted by parents who felt the weather was simply too cold to send kids to school. He adds that those comments do not go unnoticed.

“We do take complaints and concerns into account and I send them to the board. Our board can then take a look at that information and decide if it is time to change the policy.”

Though it is not set in stone, Dueck notes that their current policy has been a helpful guide for the past number of years. Unless it is officially changed, it will be followed.

“We obviously know it's really cold outside but we always work according to our school division policy,” explains Dueck.

The current system only cancels school when the temperature is -35 degrees or colder with a windchill of -45 degrees or colder. This morning’s temperatures indicated -32 and -46 respectively and so school stayed in session.

Dueck says the ultimate goal of any school cancellation is to keep students safe from the cold.

“The key question is: ‘Are we keeping kids safe?,’” says Dueck, “ and I do think we have been, but we need to keep asking that question on a regular basis.”

Dueck says parental feedback is always valuable when making decisions like this, though in the end the cancellation policy is left up to the division itself.