Schools, offices announce closures due to winter storm, frigid temperatures Thursday

Some schools and government agencies have announced closures in anticipation of a winter storm expected to bring snow, strong winds and frigid temperatures Thursday.

Lee’s Summit School District announced schools would be using Thursday as its first virtual learning day of the school year due to inclement weather.

Park Hill School District will also use their first distance learning day Thursday. School officials said the change will also affect the ECSE, Bright Futures and Horizons programs at the Gerner Family Early Education Center.

The Raymore-Peculiar School District canceled all classes Thursday, with no plans for virtual learning.

The University of Kansas announced closures for its Lawrence, Edwards and Leavenworth campuses Thursday. Only employees labeled as work essential should report to campus. Students and all other employees are encouraged to stay off campus, and employees designated as remote or hybrid workers should report to work online.

Normal operations are expected to resume Friday at KU.

All Kansas City Public Library locations will be closed Thursday, along with the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library. The Truman Library planned to reopen at noon on Friday.

Judicial offices at the Jackson County Circuit Court will be closed Thursday and Friday due to the inclement weather.

State office buildings for state employees in Shawnee County will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Independence has announced the closures of the Palmer Senior Center, the National Frontier Trails Museum, the Truman Memorial Building and the George Owens Nature Park on Thursday due to the storm forecast. The Sermon Center will be open, but all classes are canceled and fitness areas will close at 6 pm. There will be a warming site at the Sermon Center open on Thursday from 8 am to 7:30 pm, and staff available to connect people to overnight resources.

In Blue Springs, closures include Blue Springs City Hall, Vesper Hall Community Center, the Public Safety Building and the Sunnyside Public Works Operations Building. Both home delivery and onsite meal programs offered through Vesper Hall will be suspended. All city facilities will reopen Tuesday, December 27, following the holiday closures.

All Unified Government offices will be closed Thursday and Friday.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s business offices will be closed Thursday. Weather allowing, they’ll reopen on Friday.

This closure includes the KCKPD Records Department. Anyone needing to file a police report that is not an emergency requiring a call to 911 should call KCKPD at 913-573-8680 from 6:45 am until 10 pm, or go to police headquarters at 700 Minnesota Avenue from 9 am to 5 pm, East Patrol at 849 N. 47th Street from 6:45 am to 10 pm, or South Patrol at 2200 Metropolitan Avenue from 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Jackson County offices will have a delayed start at 10 a.m. Jackson County Circuit Court is closed Thursday and Friday.

City offices in Kansas City will work virtually Thursday and Friday. Trash collections for Thursday and Friday will be delayed until the following Friday and Saturday.

Belton has announced the closures of Belton City Hall, Belton School District 124, Belton Parks and Recreation, the Belton Senior Center and all city offices.

All Cass County government offices and the Cass County Circuit Court will be closed Thursday.

Johnson County Community College campuses and buildings will be closed Thursday, but the school will hold its scheduled special board meeting over Zoom. Winter session classes will be held as scheduled. Johnson County Library locations that normally open at 9 a.m. will have a delayed opening at noon Thursday. Branches scheduled to open at 1 p.m. will open on time. Edgerton Library is closed Thursday.

Check this story for updates of other closures.

This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 10:56 AM.

Andrea Klick

The Kansas City Star

Andrea Klick was a breaking news reporter for The Kansas City Star. She studied journalism and political science at the University of Southern California and grew up near Allentown, Pennsylvania.