On Dec. 18 and 19, the Boulder Valley School District canceled school in all of the district for a variety of reasons related to high winds. Some 41 schools out of 56 lost power for a varying amount of time, as stated by the district. On reflection, it feels important to highlight how the conditions and circumstances here in Broomfield were much safer than in other parts of the district and maybe we should consider handling these situations in a more targeted manner, and to always prioritize educational in-person student opportunities when possible.
BVSD is a great district and I thank all the staff and leadership for making it so, but in Broomfield on those two days that were canceled, the wind was not projected to be as high as near Boulder or in the mountains, and there was very little wind during the day on Thursday the 18th in Broomfield and only some wind early in the morning on the 19th in Broomfield. The max wind speed on the 18th in the east Broomfield area was listed online around 31 mph, and the max wind speed on the 19th was around 41 mph, versus wind gusts of more than 100 mph in at least one part of Boulder County that week. The Xcel power map from around this time showed it was not planned that we in Broomfield, generally, would be under a power shutoff.
When I spoke with the superintendent as to other reasons school was canceled in the far east part of the district, I was told it was because the central kitchen that makes lunches was without power, along with the main transportation hub and “the Ed Center where most administrative functions occur,. He also said some employees lost power and that some students live in one attendance zone but go to another school through open enrollment…