Students enjoying snow day in West Chester

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- By the thousands Monday, Chester County schoolchildren took to the hills to sled the day away, courtesy of the blizzard-related school closings.

In the West Chester School District, the high schoolers were happy to have a sunny day, lots of snow, and no classes.

"It's a safety issue for me. I don't want to have school cause these roads, the back roads, are not good," 9th grader Blake Winkely said.

"I think it's both, safety and fun. It would be nice to have another day off," 9th grader Tori Leitan said.

Kristin Brown doubles as a mother and West Chester School District teacher.

"I am concerned about their safety waiting at the bus stop and these roads don't look great, but I want to be back at school," Brown said.

With so much cleanup on school property and the side roads continuing, the Chester County Area superintendent shut down all 16 of his schools Monday for more than 16,000 students, safety being the issue.

"Even with yesterday, all the road crews out, plowing the roads, and our guys coming in to try to clear the lots, there were just too many back roads, too many intersections, with snow piled up where buses just couldn't safely get through," Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon said.

Over in Valley Forge Park, the slopes were crowded.

Action News spoke with suburban teachers out there with their children.

"If the roads aren't clear, it's not safe for them to walk, then I think they should be able to get outside, get some exercise and have some fun with some friends," Joelle Beeber said.