Winter weather conditions force school closures Friday; St. John officials on alert

Published 2:42 pm Thursday, December 7, 2017

The weekend is starting early for students in St. John the Baptist Parish.

In anticipation of possible winter weather conditions during morning travel time, all St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools are closed Friday (Dec. 8).

Catholic and private schools in the parish followed suit shortly after the public school district announcement with Ascension of Our Lord School, St. Peter Catholic School, Riverside Academy, St. Charles Catholic and St. Joan of Arc also announcing school would be canceled Friday (Dec. 8).

St. John Parish officials are monitoring the possibility of winter weather to impact the Parish beginning Thursday evening.

According to the National Weather Service, a small accumulation of snow/sleet or freezing rain is expected to move in overnight and remain through mid-day Friday in addition to near-freezing temperatures. Forecasters are predicting the precipitation to end Friday. However, temperatures are expected to remain in the 30s and 40s throughout the weekend.
Residents should make preparations at home and businesses for possible wintery conditions including bringing in pets and plants and winterizing pipes. Accumulations of precipitation could lead to possible slick spots on elevated roadways and bridges and motorists should use extreme caution when driving.
Crews will be on standby throughout the weekend if needed. Please 911 to report any issues or concerns. To sign up for Parish emergency notifications, visit sjbparish.com and click “Stay Connected.”
Safety Tips
• Make sure there is proper ventilation for all fuel-burning equipment
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Maintain contact with the elderly and those considered at risk
• Get a winter game plan! Have a fully- stocked emergency kit
• Pets and plants should be brought inside your home. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.