Boulder Valley Schools Close Again Friday Amid High Winds

UPDATE: The Boulder Valley School District has just announced a second school closure day for Friday, December 15, 2023, due to severe weather conditions, including high winds and elevated fire danger. This decision allows students an earlier start to their winter break as officials prioritize safety.

With gusts expected to exceed 100 mph, the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is urging residents to avoid travel. Weather forecasts suggest potential power outages, with Xcel Energy indicating that outages could begin as early as 5 a.m. Friday. The district is already grappling with the aftermath of Wednesday’s storm, which left approximately 20 schools without power.

Boulder Valley spokesman Randy Barber highlighted the challenges of operating a school district under these conditions, stating, “It’s difficult to operate a school district when you have a lot of schools that are out of power.” By Thursday afternoon, power had been restored to 4 schools, but 16 schools remained affected.

The storm has caused significant damage, with reports of cracked and shattered windows at Fairview High School and minor roof damage across various facilities. Students taking finals at the time were directly impacted, leading to the decision to reschedule these exams for the first week after winter break.

In addition, concerns are rising over staff and students who might be affected by ongoing power outages in their homes, alongside hazardous road conditions due to debris and malfunctioning traffic lights. Barber emphasized the seriousness of the situation, declaring, “It was a significant event.”

Parents and families can expect updates directly from the Boulder Valley School District, with further details on school schedules available at bvsd.org. The community is urged to remain cautious as authorities continue to monitor the weather conditions.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.