While everyone associated with Great Bend USD 428 schools — whether it be employees, parents or students — is still burrowed deep within their blankets fending off the icy chill of Old Man Winter and praying for a snow day, there’s a team out in the wee dark hours of the morning trying to come to a consensus about whether or not to call off school.The decision process actually begins the day and night before an anticipated winter storm.Administrators contact the National Weather Bureau to understand the storm pattern and expected storm duration. They also check with the Kansas Highway Patrol regarding road conditions and check several weather sites such as KSN Weather Lab, Weather Net, Kansas Weather and Intellicast.com that shows Kansas weather on a radar loop. After the initial determination that the weather may be an issue, Superintendent Khris Thexton initiates the snow-day decision process.