CHERRY TWP — Moniteau School District high school students were already on their way to school about 9:20 a.m. today under a two-hour delay when district officials decided to cancel school for the day.

“We had made the decision to go with a two-hour delay, and we felt good about that based on road conditions,” said Superintendent George Svolos. “A squall came through and made conditions very concerning.”

Campbell Bus Lines of West Sunbury provides transportation for the district’s nearly 1,400 students. Svolos said buses were on their high school routes when the decision to cancel was made.

He said Dassa McKinney Elementary School students were not at their bus stops because their starting time is more than an hour later than the high school students.

Although many districts have a telephone or text notification system for families, Moniteau does not.

“We’ve had discussion on that, but we have media that we use and our website,” Svolos said.

He said, “Everyone returned home safely.”

Other school districts in the county had two-hour delays.

“I made the decision based on what I thought was in the best interest of the students,” Svolos said.