FROSTY LINEUP : ICY CONDITIONS SHUT SCHOOLS FOR DAY.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Thousands of schoolchildren got an extra day off Thursday after officials at four school districts and the school transportation agency decided not to risk driving buses on icy, early-morning roads.

Antelope Valley Union High School District, Keppel Union School District, Lancaster School District and Westside Union School District all use the Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency to transport students to and from schools.

Lancaster officials said the district office was flooded with calls Thursday morning from parents inquiring whether schools were open or why they were closed the day after the snowstorm.

``The switchboard operator came in at 5:30 a.m. at the district office, and the phone was ringing nonstop,'' spokeswoman Susan Davis said.

School officials at the four districts said they plan to have schools open today.

The bus agency's decision not to run their buses Thursday morning was made Wednesday night, as snow still covered much of the Antelope Valley following that day's storm.

``They made their decision last night based on watching the temperatures,'' Davis said. ``The temperatures were expected to be in the 30s. Water can freeze and make it icy. We are at the mercy of the bus agency.''

High school Superintendent Robert Girolamo said weather reports late Wednesday warned the valley could get more snow and freezing temperatures.

``We heard there might be three to four inches more snow,'' Girolamo said.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Smiling snowmen line the front lawn of an 11th Street East home in Palmdale on Thursday, where more snow is expected to fall.

(2--Color) A dog answers the call of the wild Thursday after an ambulance blares a siren near Avenue R in Palmdale.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News