Tuesday, March 06, 2007

When to Delay a School Start

Way back on Monday, February 5, 2007, the NASD had a two hour delay as a result of the cold temperature. I received an email notice and made a post (read it here), because I wasn't expecting a delay and figured others might not as well. Of course I also knew that most people don't read this site until after they get the kids to school, but for those that did maybe it would help them out. At any rate, the post generated quite a discussion, 22 comments in all.

I just got back from taking my daughter in and wondered just how cold it was.

Accuweather says its 9 degrees with a real feel of minus 14.

Back in February when we delayed school it was 14 degrees that morning with a real feel of 4 (I actually recorded it that day as a result of the post).

So it is either 5 or 18 degrees colder today than it was when we had a delay depending on how much stock you put in the real feel value.

We knew yesterday that it was going to be terribly cold this morning. It would seem if we are going to delay on temperature a very simple threshold could be announced so parents would know whether or not to plan for a delay. For instance if it goes under 10 degrees check for a delay.

Not a big deal, but I would not have wanted my daughter to have walked any further than the block she had to this morning. It was that cold. And I do feel bad for those kids who did have to walk in or had to wait at a bus stop without a parent's car to stay warm in.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Agreed...school should have been delayed today using the logic applied last month. It really makes no sense. But then again, given some of the other decisions our Distict have made recently, does the lack of continuity in their logic really surprise you???

Anonymous said...

"Once upon a long time ago" we walked to school no matter what!And we survived! PARENTS made sure we dressed warm enough.
Can't help but think , with all our technology , we are becoming more and more helpless. but of course, I am part of the "over the hill"gang.

Anonymous said...

A few weeks back, when we were in the midst of the delay's and "snow day's, my 8 year son and I were discussing the subject of making up the lost days at the end of the year. Based on the criteria we use locally, it was his assumption that the school year in Alaska could easily last all the entire calendar year. Of course, we know that the Alaskans do get out in the winter. I guess we are just too soft!!

Unknown said...

If we're going to delay for cold weather (which makes no sense at all - just putting off the inevitable), I agree lets make it consistent and set a temp or set of temps. Call it the Wuss-ita scale. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Roxanne states:

Given the delays last month due to the wind chill factor; I was surprised school started on time today. Does anyone know if there is a temperature cut off to determine if a delay is called?

Anonymous said...

The decision is based on whether there is a wind chill advisory or not, from what I understand. Last time, we were under wind chill advisories both days.

Today, there WAS one for the northern counties, which is why they delayed. There was not an advisory for Northampton County. How the meteorologists determine whether there is an advisory or not is another story.

Anonymous said...

Fear not Lori, tell your son that half days count as full days to fulfill the 180 day minimum for PA schools. There should be no cutting into summer vacation time!
:-)

Anonymous said...

it baffles me at what people respond to---
board approves 1.2M for turf:3 blogs in a weeks time
question what criteria is used to determine how cold is too cold to delay schools:7 blogs in less than 12 hours

guess one is an immediate inconvenience from lack of specific protocol while the other is apparent limitless non-educational expenditures

just my observation

Anonymous said...

hey maybe we can get hire some sort of high-tech state of the art weatherman to give a morning opinion on if the kids should start school on time.. im sure we could get one for 2 million a year! im totally in for that

Anonymous said...

At the risk of being a "glutton for punishment" (I was blasted by many just over a week ago for this type of thought) I'll chime in...

Wind advisory or not, today was much colder than it was back on the Mon/Tues after the Super Bowl. But perhaps the K-garten orientation held this morning had something to do with it? I don't really know. It's a moot point and I guess really unimportant in comparison to what's been going on with the new school, turf, budget shortfall, hiring freeze, etc. etc. (as mentioned by Anon 9:27)

RossRN said...

Anon 9:27, I have to admit one of the most surprising aspects of hosting/moderating this site is seeing what strikes a cord and what doesn't.

I have made posts on topics I was sure would generate discussion and there is dead silence. Then I put something up that I think is somewhat frivolous and an explosion of opinions.

This wasn't a big deal to me, as Anon 10:59 points out, it was just an(other) example of inconsistency in the NASD.

But it was really cold yesterday and only after dropping her off and returning home did I check the temperature and see how much colder it was than last time that I decided to make the point.

Of course, from the NASD perspective, they coordinate with other districts in vo-tech and IU, plus bus company so there are other factors involved. To me this would seem to favor some threshold method, but what do I know (other than it was just stupid cold yesterday;-)

Anonymous said...

As much as i agree school should be delayed on very cold mornings...it has very little to do with the students. I've been told the cold impacts the ability to turn all the school buses on in a timely safe matter.