District 203 students returning to schools on Tuesday following a snow day on Monday, Jan. 28 only had to wait a few hours to learn that they would receive two additional days off. Superintendent Dan Bridges announced Tuesday morning that all district schools would be cancelled for Wednesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Jan. 31. The cancellations reinforce pleas from local weather experts and officials that encourage people to stay indoors as much as possible during an expected arctic-cold weather system that threatens to break all previous records for cold weather.

In addition to school closings, Nancy Voise, assistant superintendent for secondary education, announced the cancellation of all athletic and extra-curricular activities on Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday’s activities were allowed to continue but were required to finish by 5 p.m.

While the cancellations have been met with general excitement by many students, the closures have caused others anxiety. Cancelled practices threaten preparations for IHSA tournament-bound teams such as Central’s speech and wrestling programs, and have forced delays in casting the spring musical and rehearsing Theatre Central’s winter production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” The January print edition of Central Times, scheduled for Tuesday, will now have to wait until Friday to be delivered to subscribing students.

The cancellations also push the last day of school back to May 31, likely delaying final examinations to after the Memorial Day weekend. Prior to this week’s three days off and a cancelled day of school on Nov. 26, the school year was scheduled to end on Friday, May 24, prior to the holiday weekend.

Central Times will continue to update readers about issues related to the severe weather.