What is the process of deciding snow days or 2 hour delay?

We’re gonna be in school unless we can’t be.  We’re out at about 4:30 in the morning. 
I’m out on the east side of the county where I live and pulls from the transportation department, all split up the rest of the county and we drive and make sure it’s going to be safe for not only our buses, but the one thing that I still remember from having my own children and getting their licenses in the fall of the junior or senior year. We have a lot of kids who have never driven on snow ice  and so the first couple of times that we see snow and ice come down, I’m thinking about that as well and making sure we’re including our teen drivers in our factoring in a decision about whether or not kids could get to school safely.

What are some factors that may influence your decision?


For example, if they’re trying to clear, you know, if they get really heavy snow at 6 AM, 7 AM., they want to be plowing the streets without, you know, 11,000 students in 200 staff members on the road at the same time. And so on rare occasions that has happened, and of course, we listen to those requests that we get them

What is the latest time that you would call a snow day?

 it could be as late as 6 AM, but  a couple of years ago we had one that was called around six, but at that point in time, we have buses out on the road already, you know, uh if you live out in the county, um, you know that you’re pickup time is pretty early in the morning if you ride the bus. So at that, six is the very, latest, but we prefer earlier than that, not only because our buses will be out, but because families have to make a decision about what they’re gonna do to help their kids  get through the day if they’re staying home or going to a family members or babysitters and we don’t want to make that decision really late when parents have to turn around come home from work, those kinds of things.

Do you get anxious and have a hard time sleeping because you know your morning is going to be a rough morning?

I do not as much as maybe some other superintendents that I know. My dad was the street commissioner in my hometown when I was a kid and he used to drive snow plows, in the night and in the morning and I remember I just grew up with somebody who was always involved in making that decision and the town where I grew up and I’ve come to accept the fact that no matter what you do you’re going to frustrate some people.  As long as I am comfortable that we’re doing what’s best to keep kids safe, have productive days at school then I can accept knowing that some people are going to disagree with the decision and so it doesn’t bother me a whole lot.

What do you think students should do if there is a snow day?

I would say that if we have snow days and even if they’re E- learning days, I really, really hope  that our kids get outside in the snow and play during the course of the day, and that means when I say kids, I should say students, but when I say kid, I’m talking about kindergarteners, to seniors. go grab a sled, find the hill, have fun, throw snowballs, build the snowman, if you get on and do your e-learning and fulfill your responsibilities for that day, but don’t forget how much fun it is to play in the snow.