WAUKESHA, Wis. — A day before any snow fell in Southeast Wisconsin, schools in the area made the decision to close.
It's a tough call for superintendents to make, knowing the decision impacts thousands of kids and their parents.
As fresh snow blankets playgrounds, children can be seen giggling and enjoying the day off.
Tonya Schuetz is a mother of three kiddos who attend school in Waukesha.
"They're loving it," Schuetz smiled. "They played outside, came in, and had hot chocolate."
She said it's important for her to find out if the school will be in session or not the night before.
"You can plan, you can let your job know ahead of time," Schuetz said.
It's safe to say we've come a long way from waking up in the morning and being glued to the TV to find out if school was canceled or not, but why is that?
For the School District of Waukesha and Racine Unified, the standard for snow closures is a Winter Storm Warning being issued by the National Weather Service.
But that's not the only reason.
Milwaukee National Weather Service (NWS) Warning Coordination Meteorologist Tim Halbach said they're in constant communication with more than 200 districts across Southern Wisconsin before a snowstorm.
"We provide the forecast information and what we think is going to happen," he said. "The communication is better between us and people at school districts that make the decisions."
Halbach said NWS doesn't necessarily make the decision to close schools, that is up to the superintendent but they advise them on what to expect weather-wise.
Through several phone calls, webinars and emails Halbach believes this service is one reason why superintendents can make the call earlier, making it easier for parents like Schuetz.