NW PA and the Winter Weather

Late on Tuesday evening a winter storm front moved across the United States, and entered NW Pennsylvania, with snow, sleet and ice, then plenty of snow. The county school districts are way off base with snow days, make up days, calendars and the risk they put the school bus drivers, the students and the staff; when they botch this important decision to pick a helpful schedule, implement the 2 hour delay policy, cancel the school day- or run the day with whoever can make it to school.

Case in point - on a day with -10 degrees and some wind chill, school was canceled by 4 a.m. Instead of using the 2 hour delay policy, the entire county stayed home on a beautiful sunny day and clear roads, with some chilled temperatures, that were easily controlled with boots, gloves, winter coats, and a scarf. While, less than a week later, a day that was well forecast with snow, sleet, freezing rain and up to 10 inches of snow, school was held, no 2 hour delay and no option for early dismissal, despite the decision to cancel all after-school activities, already made by 1 p.m. Here was a day that warranted cancellation, while the other day could have been spent with the 2-hour delay policy. Early in the winter, an early ice storm didn't materialize, and the day was canceled early, by 6 a.m., when again the 2-hour delay policy would have been the better option.

The roads were treacherous going home on 1-28-09 and I arrived home safe from work, but not without sticking my car in the plowed snow at the end of my driveway. I had to wait for help and it was stuck once more before reaching the garage. I don't want to know what happened on all the bus routes home, but students had to be warned about their coats or lack thereof, since bus drivers would have the option to "NOT DRIVE" down treacherous non-plowed roads and students would have to walk home. Now, we have wind, wind chill, and this is okay on this day, but no school held on a day that people could leave from the home prepared and bundled?

I know it must not be easy being all-knowing, but many could have assisted in a better decision that would have preserved some of the limited vacation provided in the calendar.
The students asked me today about school make-up days; and that any more days of cancellation would result in days added to the end of the school year. Funny thing, - in this district, it isn't necessary since there are enough educational minutes to cover any issues with total minutes/days for the school year, if a day or two was missed due to horrible, inclement weather, or circumstances beyond anyone's control, such electrical outages, and water-main breaks.

Allowing only 3 days in the 180+ school calendar, the days are burnt, and as of today, the students go to school every day until Good Friday. Yes, that's the next day off, and not another until Memorial Day. We are in for a long haul.

Second Semester is here!