A forecast that includes more sleet, ice and snow led most school officials in Lawrence to cancel classes for Thursday. Kansas University also called off Thursday classes late Wednesday night.
KU officials decided about 10:30 p.m. to cancel classes on the Lawrence campus and Edwards campus. All KU libraries will also be closed.
"Only essential employees need to report to work," according to a message on KU's Web site.
Lawrence public school officials were one of the first school districts in the area to announce classes would be canceled Thursday. Supt. Randy Weseman, Rick Gammill, director of transportation; and Tom Bracciano, director of facilities operations, made the decision about 4 p.m. Wednesday.
"We wanted to give people plenty of notice so they could make plans," said Julie Boyle, the Lawrence public school district's communication director.
oyle said with existing road conditions and indications that there is more precipitation on the way in the form of sleet and snow, school officials were concerned about transportation and travel in the morning.
Other Lawrence schools have also decided to cancel classes Thursday. They are Bishop Seabury Academy, Veritas Christian School, Head Start and Community Children's Center, Lawrence Catholic Schools (St. John's and Corpus Christi campuses), Green Pastures Preschool, Head Start and Community Children's Center, Montessori Children's House,, First Presbyterian Preschool and Raintree Montesorri School in Lawrence, KU Strategic Learning Center, 1 of a Kind Child Care.
Ballard Community Center and Cottonwood Inc. will also be closed Thursday.
The following area school districts have also called off school Thursday: Baldwin, DeSoto, Eudora, Garnett, Louisburg, McLouth, Oskaloosa, Osawatomie, Ottawa, Paola, Perry-Lecompton, Tonganoxie, Wellsville and West Franklin.
Baker University has also called off classes for Thursday.
6News will post information about cancellations on the Channel 6 moving line on Sunflower Broadband's Channel 6. Thursday's Journal-World will provide a list of school cancellations and other closings that are made by 11 p.m. Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Topeka reported Wednesday afternoon that a winter storm warning remains in effect through Thursday afternoon. Freezing rain or sleet is expected Wednesday night, with significant ice accumulations possible by early morning. The sleet and ice is expected to turn to snow Thursday.
Thursday will be the second day in a row that Lawrence closed public schools.
Lawrence's city street crews have been working around the clock since Tuesday morning to treat the roadways.
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