Posted Tuesday --- December 11, 2007 -- 10:00pm

Despite several nearby school districts canceling school for the day, Madison area schools were still in session.

"I don't think the roads were in any shape to be taking kids to school or from school," says one mother. "It's hard to forecast the weather. But I think if you look back at it I'd say it's a good day to be off."

School District superintendent, Art Rainwater, takes all things into consideration when deciding whether to declare a snow day. Although some parents were unhappy, today's snowfall didn't call for a closure.

"We talk to the city streets. We talk to the police. We talk to the Metro bus service. We talk to our bus contractors," says Rainwater. "Then we reach a decision as to whether or not the streets are safe. They may be slow but slow really isn't an issue for us."

But slow roads weren't the only problems parents faced as they dropped their children off at school. At least one bus driver was stuck in the mess for about a half hour.

"Just barely got up the hill here and the rear end just slid into the snow bank," says one parent. "We sat up there and watched as she rocked it. It didn't look like it was going anywhere so we grabbed shovels and came down."

The bus was able to make it to the school to pick students up and transport them home safely. Rainwater says the decision in whether a child should attend school is essentially left in the hands of the parent. He says a Student will not be penalized for missing classes due to weather.