Only 11 days into the school year and RSD closed the district due to “localized flash flooding,” according to a statement on their website. 

Around 7:20 a.m. today, Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles began receiving calls about a large amount of moving water on Highway 109 in front of LaSalle Springs Middle School. After consulting with other administrators and considering the buses, faculty, parents and students that would be on the roads, he decided to cancel school.

“I’ve had better days,” Dr. Miles said. “With all this rain, we had to make a quick decision related to school not being in session today. It’s rather frustrating with the weather patterns but I think it was a good call to protect students today.”

Dr. Miles said student safety is a priority for RSD and that he monitors severe weather year round.

“I’ve grown up in Missouri and spent most of my life in the state of Missouri, so I understand that weather patterns can vary significantly from one minute to the next,” Dr. Miles said.

Bhavya Perma, senior, was confused when she found out school was cancelled. Her younger brother was already at Crestview Middle School, and she saw the elementary school bus pass her house. But when her parents got a call from RSD informing them of the closing, she got in the car and went to pick up her brother.

“Then I started believing it,” Perma said. ”This will be a good year. It’s week three and the superintendent already cancelled school.”

Perma said she planned to use the day to relax and work on college applications. However, she worried about how much the day off would affect her tests and quizzes planned for this week.

The district is scheduled to reopen tomorrow, but more severe storms have been forecasted for later tonight. Dr. Miles said parents and students should check the Rockwood website for updated information on afterschool activities and sports.