ST. LOUIS–As students enjoy their extended snowy break, school districts are working hard to ensure a safe return to class.

Rockwood School District (RSD) reports their crews have were out as of 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday working to clear sidewalks and parking lots. An ice layer beneath the snow proved to be problematic and the frigid temperatures hasn’t helped. Wednesday’s sun helped melt much of the area’s snow and ice.

RSD coverst 150 square miles and 40 buildings and parking lots that need to be cleared, but their crews have been working since the weather event began. They also are monitoring subdivisions and back roads for bus safety. 

Crews in the Francis Howell School District (FHSD) spent Wednesday salting lots. Spectrum News spotted a truck addressing the ice issue at Henderson Elementary School. Tall snow walls encase each FHSD school lot after plows pushed the snow out of the way as much as they could. FHSD says they too have been working tirelessly the past two days, and with the district being over 150 square miles, there are thousands of miles of roads that need clearing for students and staff to safely return.

"While our lots at our schools may be ready for school. The road conditions throughout the district just aren't," said Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Roumpos in a social media post Tuesday. "Snowfall like this in Saint Louis is incredibly rare, and I hope you get to take a moment to enjoy it. We all want to be back at school and we will do so as soon as it is safe to do so, safe for all of our students and our staff."

FHSD buses appear to be ready to go with practically no snow in the parking lot preventing them from leaving. The Parkway School District bus barn also is nearly void of snow and seems prepared to transport students when the snow days end.

Parkway School District released a statement on its efforts. "As best we can, in cooperation with our city and local agency partners, we monitor roads across 68 square miles of Parkway, which our staff and families use to travel to and from school. Their safety is always our priority. Our facilities crews have been working since the snow fell to remove snow and ice from our parking lots and sidewalks so we can return to school as quickly and as safely as possible."

A small plow was spotted working in front of Parkway Central High School pushing snow to a pile.

"As the superintendent of a large school district, it is always challenging to balance my desire to have children in school and also my desire to keep them safe,” Superintendent Keith Marty said.

Many districts have also posted on social media that snow packed bus stops remain a concern as well.