‘Not to jinx anything’: KC schools plan day off for parade if Chiefs win Super Bowl

After the Kansas City Chiefs’ historic Super Bowl win in 2020, area school districts saw droves of teachers calling in to take the following Monday off. And struggling to find enough substitutes, most canceled classes that Wednesday so families could watch the victory parade.

This year, with the Chiefs facing the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday in Arizona, districts are planning ahead.

Kansas City Public Schools said in an email that classes will continue Monday following the Super Bowl, win or lose. But in yet another reason to root for Kansas City, if the Chiefs win, school will be closed on Wednesday so students and staff can celebrate and enjoy the parade.

The Independence district also plans on canceling classes Wednesday if the Chiefs win, officials said in a Facebook post.

In North Kansas City, district spokeswoman Susan Hiland said she anticipates staff will be at work on Monday. While the district is still planning for next week, she said in past years it has used a snow day to accommodate students and staff wanting to attend the celebrations.

Kelly Wachel, a spokeswoman with the Park Hill district, said officials are considering the possibility of canceling classes for the parade.

“At the same time, trying not to jinx anything by planning too far in advance,” she said.

The Kansas City, Kansas, district said they had not yet finalized plans for next week.

In the Gardner Edgerton district, officials said in an email to families that students already were not going to attend classes on Wednesday due to parent-teacher conferences. But if there’s a victory parade on Wednesday, the district will cancel those conferences and other activities that day.

Several other districts could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Kansas City held parades for the World Series-winning Royals in 2015 and the Chiefs, who won Super Bowl LIV, after the 2019 season.

Last week, the City Council approved spending $750,000 for a potential victory parade on Feb. 15, to fund the costs of security, decorations and equipment. Officials also anticipate $1.1 million in private sponsorships, a $400,000 allocation from Jackson County and $1.5 million in police and fire overtime costs. The parade could total about $3.75 million.

A parade route has not been announced, but last time it rolled down Grand Boulevard and ended with a rally at Union Station.