I'm in Wisconsin, and we've had a VERY mild winter so far. We've stayed "positive" this whole winter, only dipping into single digit temps (in F) for a few days. That being said, it is not uncommon for us to have stretches (3 days) of below zero temps as the high, multiple times in a winter! -5F, clear roads, light wind? Schools open, work as usual. If it's windy, so -30F wind chills, schools will probably close, but not workplaces. Welcome to the "north". I'd venture that North Dakota is even worse than Wisconsin, so any anecdotes from a North Dakotan would be welcome for comparison.
@Cloddy
Reminds me of what my Dad told me of the farmhouse where he grew up, that snow would blow in from between the floorboards and form drifts in the corners.
The fact that his room was at the corner of the house which the wind gusts would lift up a few inches did not help the situation.