All CdA public schools open today

This is the message that spokeswoman Laura Rumpler of the Coeur d’Alene School District sent to parents and families early this morning:

ALL CdA Public Schools have power restored and all CdA Public Schools are open today, Thursday, November 19 ^th . This includes a change for Hayden Meadows Elementary. Due to the tireless and amazing work of Avista Utilities overnight we are able to make this unexpected change and open Hayden Meadows today.

ALL schools now have power and all schools are open today. Busing is occurring as normal. SchoolPlus is open. We understand if your family has made alternate plans and cannot attend school.

For all our families please know you always have the choice to make the best decision for your unique family situation. Our schools have power again and are open, but our parents can make their own choice if they do not think it is safe for their student to get to school/ go to school; you have the choice to keep your student(s) home.

We want to offer our schools as safe and warm havens for our students (and staff) and create the best educational environment that we can during this extremely stressful and high-impact community crisis.

Superintendent Handelman personally apologizes to the Hayden Meadows families for canceling last night and then making the change announcement this morning, but we are doing so to best serve our families. This is one reason why we take cancelations seriously and work throughout the night to gather the most up-to-date information and make decisions in the early morning hours. So much can change overnight and it has.

If your student will not be at school today please call your school’s office to report them absent.

​We know many families and staff are still without power. Take care. Remain safe. We will get through this together!

Again, thank you to Avista & Kootenai Electric for getting all our schools’ power back on.