Our school district has turned into the biggest babies on the planet!! We got a new superintendent a few years ago and what a freakin' baby!!! We just got called for an early release due to "projected weather". Now, there has been discussion of a storm for a couple of days - one that will bring some icy roads. Yesterday it was downgraded and pushed to Monday afternoon. This morning, it was downgraded again and pushed to 6:00 p.m. tonight. An hour ago, it was downgraded AGAIN to an "advisory" and stormtracker shows we may get nothing at all. However, I just received a call that school is cancelled as of 1:00 p.m. today. We live in an area that getting 8 inches of snow is a common occurrence, we all own window scrapers, it was literally -25 below zero a couple of weeks ago with -50 below windchill factor (was on a weekend so didn't affect school).
I am so tired of school being cancelled by the superintendent for absolutely no reason. I could see cancelling after school activities (I guess) just in case the storm actually did come at 6:00 p.m., but once again, the kiddies will be sent home when the weather is just fine outside. In fact, this is one of the nicer days we have had in awhile with temps in the low 30's. I can't even count the times school has been cancelled on two hands (because it has been more than 10 times) in the last couple of years by this new superintendent for literally no reason weatherwise. They are always "due to projected weather conditions" that never happen.
So, would you write a letter? If so, to whom? I wrote a letter a few years ago to the superintendent and cc'd the school board when we had early release/late start 11 days in a row for LITERALLY NO REASON and had to make time up that summer. I received no answer from either entity. Thoughts? Obviously, I could just let it go, too :)
Interesting views - thank you. Well, the "storm" did not come yesterday, so yet again a wasted afternoon off for the kids. The storm did come last night (as projected) so the kids are off school again this morning (and possibly the entire day), for the right reasons. This means that going into our true snow day season (for us that is middle of Jan to middle of March), we only have two more snow days before we have to make up time in the summer or have longer school days for the third time in just four years.
I understand that the school would want to err on the side of caution. However, they have access to the same information we do, weatherwise. It is pretty difficult as a parent to imagine what the school/superintendent is thinking when the weather is perfectly fine and school is cancelled again. I don't think that the school has a magic weather predicting crystal, but I do feel like some common sense could be used. Also, it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to when school does or doesn't get cancelled and no real criteria in place (which is what I had asked about in my previous letter to the school that did not get answered).
Economically, it doesn't affect me at all - I work from home and can continue to work whether my kids are here or not, and it certainly isn't because I don't want them here. However, we live in a fairly impoverished area where jobs can be difficult to come by and I know of 3 single moms who have lost their jobs in the last couple of years due to these constant "snow days" that aren't snow days. Who can plan when the school will call 9 late starts/early releases in a row because a storm is "tracking our way"? Then, once the storm does arrive, and we DO need the school to be closed, that adds another day or two off for the kids.
I guess I will save my letter (which will be my second one) if we actually do have to make up the time again this summer - that is really when it will affect me personally, I guess. We like to make plans right when school gets out and this year, we are traveling to two military bases to visit kids right after the last day.
Thanks again!
Oh believe me I understand. When we lived in Kentucky school was called due to the potential of weather. It got up to 55 degrees.
The thing is, out in the county the buses couldn't go up and down hills. My thought was have a certain meeting place to pick up the kids. But nope that wasn't an option.
I would rather them home then on a bus hitting black ice. My son has been in two car accidents dealing with black ice.
Yes, it's an inconvenience, but safety is paramount. Black ice is deadly. The school district boundaries probably include some tricky driving areas. Also considered is staff and bus drivers. We have had school cancelled for various reasons, sometimes not a current weather threat, but necessary because bus drivers could not get in or the buses would not start. I'd rather the schools take precautions than to wind up in a dangerous situation. A 16 year old girl died here this weekend due to bad roads on the outskirts of town, while in town we were driving about with no problem. Some superintendents are more cautious than others, but they have safety in mind. I worked for a principal who was over-abundantly cautious after a student in her school died on a field trip where she made the call it was safe to go but turned out conditions were worse than anticipated.
Honestly, I'd let it go.
The prediction of weather is a difficult job. A few weeks ago, they predicted a storm would come in during the evening. It arrived a few hours early and people were sitting in their cars on the freeway for HOURS, some schools had kids there late into the evening because parents couldn't pick up. Some people were out in it ALL NIGHT. School buses were stuck in bad traffic which wasn't moving. I can't imagine being the parent of one of those children and wondering if my kid was okay, if the bus had enough gas to stay on, and heat the bus, etc. In this last case, it was our state DOT which made the suggestions that the schools followed. I'm sure the schools received tons of angry calls and emails from angry parents.
Superintendents have a shitty job to do-- either choice will likely offend some parents. I think we have to remember-- they have to consider the worst possible situations when making those decisions. I shudder to think of the kids, stranded on the buses, hungry and tired and just wanting to go home. Maybe get upset when it's something that's *already happened* than getting mad about something which hasn't happened yet?
You realize that the busses and teachers don't just commute from your neighborhood right?
You would want a teacher or student killed because of black ice? Or a car that careens out of control because of ice and hits students at a bus stop?
There's a LOT that goes into the decision to cancel school. They look at their WHOLE area, not just ONE section. Taken into consideration are current conditions, projected conditions, and so much more.
You can complain, it's your right. But realize that it's not just YOUR street they are factoring in. It's the WHOLE area. In my location? **MY** area doesn't get ice, but 3 miles away? They get a 1/4". And the buses can't get down SAFELY.
Remember - it's about SAFETY. Not your inconvenience.
Isn't this the same ice storm that has glided across the country being as unpredictable as possible? Let it go! Wouldn't you rather your kids be safe, just in case?
What is your problem with the early release? I mean no where in this did you say if they miss too much school they will have to make it up or anything that shows concern for your kids. It just sounds like you don't like your kids home.
I worked from home Friday and my kids were home all day, same ice storm. Didn't need to stay in, never froze up, still glad we were all home, just in case.
It depends on so many factors.
I know it's annoying but it could be worse.
Where I grew up we dealt with feet of snow on a regular basis - and life goes on otherwise you wouldn't have school for 6 months out of the year.
You had to get about 2 ft of snow between 2am to 6am in order for schools to close.
Most superintendents make some pretty good calls on when to close and/or send kids home early.
Just lately this one district in one town over from my Mom got it wrong and kids and staff were stranded over night at school - elementary and middle.
As roads were plowed, calls went out to parents to come get their kids - all night long.
I'd rather that they err on the side of safety.
I've driven in white outs, and on zero traction (ice storms), I've rocked my vehicle out of more than one snow bank, and on one occasion I forgot a baby sitting job, ran down the street to get there after taking a shower and my damp hair froze stiff (kids had fun picking ice out of my hair) - so I know what living with a real winter is like.
I survived the Blizzard of 77 in the southtowns of Buffalo, NY.
I am SO OVER IT.
Where we live now - they practically close for a hard frost - I kid you not.
People don't know how to drive in it - a little ice results in 100's of accidents - and they don't have the equipment to deal with it.
I'm GLAD when they shut things down - we just had 3 snow days last week from about 7 inches of ice and snow and they were right to do so.
I'd let it go and not write a letter.
My hunch is that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than you realize. My niece just got into a car accident last Thursday due to black ice. Thankfully she wasn't hurt but she is so freaked out by having been in a car that hydroplaned into oncoming traffic.
oh yes.
by all means.
an angry letter for not being a perfect weather prognosticator will be super-helpful and well-received.
i'm sure the school board has never before heard a complaint about bad judgment calls made for LITERALLY NO REASON.
go get 'em!
khairete
S.
I'd be kind of annoyed that you didn't receive any kind of response from your letter a few years ago. Even a short one explaining that there were factors you weren't aware of would have been something.
I don't really know the geography of your school district, but ours has lots of country roads and side roads that are difficult to clear. Still, many of our students live on those roads and need to ride the bus to school. Usually if school is canceled here, it's because the roads could not get cleared in time. Recently we had a weekend of back weather and received calls on Sunday afternoon that school was cancelled. That is actually quite unusual, but the storm just happened so fast and the temperatures were so low that the salt wasn't working.
I think it's important to recognize that there are many, many factors that superintendents consider before cancelling school. If you have a lot of country roads, that could be a huge issue. If the city is having any trouble with the trucks or the salt, that could be a concern.
If you really did want to write a letter, consider asking for clarification on their policies and what they consider, rather than complaining that they cancel too often and don't have valid reasons. It's only human to be more open to responding when you don't feel attacked. I bet if you ask them to explain their policies a little bit better, you'll get a better answer. And any answer is better than the silence you received from your previous letter.
I just Googled how our school district decides these things. There's an entire process for our area - and it's available for anyone to view. Your school board may have something similar.
In our area, 8 separate organizations give input. Then this input is all reported to the superintendent. They even consult a meteorologist who is available to the school board, just for this reason. But they check the city's bus company, the school bus company, a consulting agency that looks into this for them, they talk to area staff to determine how roads are in each area of our district, it goes on and on. It's definitely not a matter of just checking the weather forecast.
All this goes on well before the first bus goes on the route. So this is around 6 am here. Even when they close early, the process starts well before 6 am.
If you do write a letter, I'd ask them for the information on the process followed. I had no idea until I read your question and just Googled how ours is determined. It's actually quite detailed and involves many, many people - not just our superintendent.
Interesting.
Sometimes our district hasn't closed when all the others around us have, and sometimes there seem to have been some crazy closings when all was fine.
I think you are entitled to find out what the parameters are for cancelling. I think a letter to the superintendent to ask what those parameters are, but start from the standpoint of "I'd like to be informed because it doesn't always seem to me, the uninformed taxpayer, what the factors are. I think it would help lots of parents to know what goes into it." I think that's so much better than "You bunch of babies" even if, if turns out, they are.
In my district, the superintendent talks to public safety people (police, DPW) and also colleagues/counterparts in other districts. There may also be conversations with state Emergency Management personnel as in the case of a large scale storm/conditions such as the one that recently cause horrible accidents, skid-outs, black ice problems and even a major plow going off a steep incline.
It's not just the kids getting home from school - it's the teachers/staff getting home as well as the buses getting back to the bus lot and the drivers getting home from there. It's a big operation to mobilize a bunch of buses with part time drivers, so getting everyone out at 1 PM instead of 3 PM is a big deal. And the town may want all these people gone and off the highways and local roads so that pretreatment of road surfaces can begin before snow and plowing operations are even beginning.
If you don't get an answer that satisfies you, you can contact your school committee to put the topic on the agenda for an upcoming public meeting. The committee can publicize the agenda and all interested parents can make arrangements to be there. That would turn it into a public discussion and everyone would be better informed, and also the superintendent, School Committee chair, and perhaps the invited Police Chief and DPW Manager would know what parents find frustrating.
Updated
Sometimes our district hasn't closed when all the others around us have, and sometimes there seem to have been some crazy closings when all was fine.
I think you are entitled to find out what the parameters are for cancelling. I think a letter to the superintendent to ask what those parameters are, but start from the standpoint of "I'd like to be informed because it doesn't always seem to me, the uninformed taxpayer, what the factors are. I think it would help lots of parents to know what goes into it." I think that's so much better than "You bunch of babies" even if, if turns out, they are.
In my district, the superintendent talks to public safety people (police, DPW) and also colleagues/counterparts in other districts. There may also be conversations with state Emergency Management personnel as in the case of a large scale storm/conditions such as the one that recently cause horrible accidents, skid-outs, black ice problems and even a major plow going off a steep incline.
It's not just the kids getting home from school - it's the teachers/staff getting home as well as the buses getting back to the bus lot and the drivers getting home from there. It's a big operation to mobilize a bunch of buses with part time drivers, so getting everyone out at 1 PM instead of 3 PM is a big deal. And the town may want all these people gone and off the highways and local roads so that pretreatment of road surfaces can begin before snow and plowing operations are even beginning.
If you don't get an answer that satisfies you, you can contact your school committee to put the topic on the agenda for an upcoming public meeting. The committee can publicize the agenda and all interested parents can make arrangements to be there. That would turn it into a public discussion and everyone would be better informed, and also the superintendent, School Committee chair, and perhaps the invited Police Chief and DPW Manager would know what parents find frustrating.
Our district is notorious for not closing. Opposite your situation, people have pushed to be more cautious. I do remember one time when the weather forecast ended up being super wrong. Instead of big snow it was clear and sunny. Lots of kids out playing that day.
Have you kept an eye on what surrounding districts do? For example, last week I watched the list grow for my area of the state with early closings because of a huge snow dumping. Our district canceled activities but didn't release early. I'm glad I had made my kids wear boots because we got a lot of snow before school was done for the day.
Yesterday, the forecast was for an ice storm to hit at 3pm. The school buses are on the road from about 2:30 to 5:00 or later, depending on how far out of town the kids live. We also have teachers that commute from other towns.
I watched as the other districts released early. I made a joke to my sister, who lives in a town about 40 miles north of me, that our school might cancel extracurriculars. Turns out they actually released early. Good thing too, because by 3:30 there was an ice glaze forming. The freezing rain forecast went through noon today, so school is also closed today. Non-essential people at my husband's workplace came in late or will not be in at all.
Anyway, I was asking about other districts because if most of the other districts surrounding yours are closing/early/late, then there is a larger precedent in effect.
Added 1/18 - at 10pm last night, our district closed school for today. In town, the roads are okay but the rural bus routes are horrible and still covered like ice rinks. The town people often don't consider that a large portion of students and teachers are not in-town, so there was a lot of confusion until the district sent an email explaining the decision.
What motive would the superintendent have for cancelling other than safety concerns? I can't imagine it makes his job easier and can't imagine he wants the school year to go later either. So maybe have some faith he's doing the best he can. And likely he doesn't make the decision without input from others
I'm in Oklahoma where we just had the nicest ever ice storm. We had ice for a couple of hours! It rained during the night and it was 31 degrees so it froze. Soon as the sun started coming up the temp went up to 40 and the ice was gone before we got up and around for church. Such a nice and easy ice storm.
It came in on Sunday morning. They cancelled school on Friday because they thought it "might" come in on Friday. So the kids got a 4 day weekend with the day out today.
I was frustrated for sure. Parents with kids in school have to find child care for their kids on out of school days so they can go to work. If they can't find anyone they have to lose pay so they can stay home with their kids. It's frustrating for child care facilities too. They have to have extra staff on call in case school is called off and all the enrolled school kids come for the entire day, that's also extra food that is required.
It's not fun for anyone except the kids that get to sleep late and go play all day.
lol.
I live in washington state. King County/Puget Sound.
Our schools are cancelled for one inch of snow.
Last week my kids went to school two hours late because of ice.
It's kind of ridiculous. But really? Doesn't affect me very much. Kids just get to stay home and play!
