Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Students in Green Bay and nearby Ashwaubenon will have only a half-day of school on Thursday, just hours prior to the Packers’ 7:30 p.m. season opener at Lambeau Field against the New Orleans Saints.
But this isn’t some grand gesture by the school districts to give students extra time to prepare for kickoff. It is the result of a recommendation by Ashwaubenon’s chief of public safety, Eric Dunning, who was concerned that it may be dangerous for students to get home from school at the normal afternoon release time.
In addition to the usual crowd for a Packers home game — more than 70,000 people will be inside Lambeau Field, in the middle of a city with a population of only 104,057 — there will be more people flooding to Green Bay for the NFL’s season kickoff concert.
Ashwaubenon school district superintendent Brian Hanes was told to prepare students and parents for road closures and heavy construction for six days prior to the concert. Ashwaubenon has an elementary school just a couple blocks away from Lambeau Field.
Hanes was told to expect several large cranes within blocks of the school all week to set up the stage. Hanes also said that trees and stop lights are being removed in the area to make room for the stage Kid Rock, Maroon 5 and Lady Antebellum will perform on.
“Our priority is student safety,†Hanes said. “We issued a joint public release statement with the police about the schools closing early that day. If I was the police chief, I’d be very concerned, as well. With very few sidewalks in this school district, imagine what that would mean for the kids.â€
Police are preparing for at least 20,000 people to attend the pregame concert, being held within eye-sight of Lambeau Field.
“Because of limited area in Green Bay, I guess it made the most sense to them to do it right near the stadium,†Hanes said. “This is an unusual event.â€
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