By Reggie Clinton - Superintendent ISVI
January 28, 2008

Winter has arrived in central Illinois! The past month has brought ice, snow, winds and below zero wind chill temperatures. If you have ventured out in this extreme cold weather all you can say is brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

With extreme cold, or icy, weather comes some adjustments to the normal routines here on campus. With students needing to get out for meals and possible Health Center visits staff members have to take into consideration the impact it will have on those going outside early in the morning or late in the evening. We also have to consider any outside travel during the day.

Dorm staff work hard to remind students how cold it is outside even for short trips from building to building or across campus. As a parent I know first hand how my daughters sometimes think it is OK to go outside in the winter months without a coat or proper clothing to battle the cold. It is no different at ISVI. Dorm staff are the first people to get students going for the day. With that comes the first opportunity to help students make choices on the proper clothing and outer wear for the temperatures to be encountered upon leaving the building.

Our Health Center staff help observe the weather conditions and give input into how it could impact the change in routine on campus. With students needing to go there throughout the day, sometimes it is necessary for our Health Center staff to go to the dorms to see students rather than have them travel to the Health Center. Exposure of skin in extreme cold temperatures is something these staff members are constantly on the lookout for. When necessary, our staff members go to each dorm to check in on students or to deliver items they may need.

The other group of staff members who find themselves affected by the weather are our dietary staff. If we close campus due to the weather, it falls upon them to prepare meals and deliver them to the dorms for the students. This requires extra planning and coordination that a normal day does not bring their way. Like other staff members mentioned, this group of people efficiently performs this task to help keep campus life running smoothly.

Of course almost every staff member is affected when we alter the normal routine on campus. Our grounds crew has to keep walkways clear, our driver still has to transport students to various places around town, our Orientation and Mobility staff use the change in weather for real life travel experiences for students they are working with and everyone pitches in to help when these changes are required.

Extreme weather conditions change routines for everyone. But, it is real life and an opportunity for us to help your son or daughter experience this in a safe manner. We never put the students in harms way just for the sake of a learning experience. Yet we also realize that once our students leave ISVI they need these experiences to better enable them to be successful in every day life as adults.

Having said all of this about extreme cold weather, please rest assured that all staff members at ISVI do their part to provide a safe environment for students when rough weather comes our way. And having thought about the recent cold weather as I write this, all I can say is I hope spring hurries up and gets here soon!

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