Forecast: Nor'easter! Heavy snow and wind...heaviest Wednesday right through the morning ride (5am-9am). Highs near 30. Northeast wind 15-35 mph. Thankfully, our *lowest high tides* of the month occur during the storm so coastal flooding isn't likely. A widespread 12-16 inches is likely with rain and mixing cutting back totals on the Cape and Islands.
It's "the perfect storm" in regards to school closing potential. The timing is just right. Starts to snow around midnight and continues in to the next evening.
There was once a time where I had choreographed an entire snow dance.
You know to make the Gods of Weather dump snow upon us and cancel school.
I did this not only as a student, but as a teacher.
Now I curse the snow day.
And I'm not sure which of the following is to blame:
- My realization that it's not a free day off, but rather a loaner that needs to be paid back with interest (the interest being a stifling hot late June classroom full of kids who have checked out for the year). Yes, I would rather be in school in January than June.
- Moving to an "MCAS Grade." At this time of year every. single. second. counts. There is a very large (albeit imaginary) clock constantly ticking over my head with the alarm set to the March and May test dates. There is no time for sledding when there is MCAS-a-Coming.
- Children. Once upon a time a snow day meant extra long sips of the coffee cup while checking in with my lady friends: Kelly Ripa, Ellen Degeneres and my girl Oprah. Now it means paying for daycare on a day it's not used, cabin fever, and spending more time "suiting up" than you spend outdoors. Oh, and did I mention I am so not the outdoor type? Much less on cold, snowy days. I'm more of the "pajama type."
- OCD. I like a rhythm to my week. I like structure and routines and those routines are built around a 5 day schedule. Luckily this is a review week in our reading program so I won't be falling behind, but girlfriend likes her schedule to flow according to plan.
And so I wait.
For the call.
Which may or may not come.
But, probably will.
And so I ask you....do you enjoy snow days? (and since I am brainwashed by teaching open responses I must also add...) Support your answer with details.
11 comments:
I LOVE me a snow day! I teach in the same area & will be sleeping with pajamas on inside out. I do not have children of my own yet, so I look forward to sipping on the coffee, checking in with the girls, and staying in the pajamas for as long as humanly possible. I also teach a major MCAS grade (fifth) at an extended day school so we will be losing time but gaining so much more in the form of mental health :) Enjoy!
There is no such thing as a snow day here. Oh, the suburbs sometimes get them, but the city NEVER gets snow days. EVER! According to our fearless leader, we are a 'safe haven' for the children, and it would be too inconvenient for working parents. Hmmm...really? Well, I'M a working parent, and it's inconvenient for ME to have to go to work when my child's school is closed!!
So, it could be -30, with 18 inches of snow, but you better believe there will be school in Chicago!! Actually, those are the days I love being at school because there are usually only a handful of kids that actually come. The last big snow/freezing cold day we had here, I had 5 out of 30 kids show. NICE day! The best part, no days to make up at the end of the year. :)
Dear Lord I could use a snow day! I've only been back for a day and 2 hours and I'm already itching for one. I love them because we don't make up for them at the end of the year. I get so much of the piled up work done while the kids are away, and usually only 3-4 show up. We rotate through by division watching them, so I usually end up having about 30-45 minutes of time with kids a snow day. The rest of the time is mine in the classroom, sans children. This is the hardest class I've ever had, and the more snow days I can get, the better!
As a teacher, I liked the first two snow days. Anything after that were added to the end of the year. Which is just unfair.
But now that I'm temporarily (I hope!) out of the classroom, I do not enjoy the snow day. That's why I moved south. Alas, it did not work. We're on day #2 with no end in sight since they have no means to deal with the white crap here. We just had winter break. My kids neeeed to be back in school.
Well, we have had two snow-days this week! I usually play by the adult in me and say to my high schooler that I do not want a snow-day because I don't want to lengthen the school year, get behind with my plans, etc. BUT....when Mother Nature makes it happen I really love it! Not as much this week though because we just started back after winter break on Wed. of last week and now we will have another 3 day week! Next week will also be short (for the kids)due to MLK Day.
But, that's what happens when you live in the MIdwest!
Here in the deep south of Small Town, Alabama, we are currently snowed/iced in. Not being in the classroom anymore, but instead being an at home mommy, I do like snow days for my children because then I get to have them home longer. And I like the idea of snow days for the few short moments that my children get to romp around in something they aren't akin to seeing and so that I can get pictures of my children building snowmen and the like. Because, let's face, snow isn't a regular feature here in Bama.
However, past that I loathe them. I do not like not being able to go anywhere (we're not really set up to deal with icy roads here in the south), I do not like spending 30 minutes just to get everyone appropriately dressed to go outside in the snow, I do not like dealing with the wet laundry that comes from playing in the snow and ice (or the hands that hurt so badly), and I just do not like the grayness of the days. Not to mention, I hate cold weather period.
If I was still teaching, I'd think just like you about a day like that.
No, I do not enjoy snowdays! My coworkers think I'm nuts but it throws everything off. I don't have standardized testing to worry about BUT I still have assessments to get in before the end of the semester. Let's not forget that my plans are now down the drain. That's the worst part for me re-planning. I'm on my second snow day today. I hope I get to go back tomorrow.
I realize I am now complaining so I'll stop.
Ms. M
www.msk1ell.blogspot.com
Snow days make me happy but that is probably because I am a single teacher with no kids. I am waiting for the call for tomorrow so I can stay in my pj's and do nothing!
I ♥ snow days! Probably because in my district we so rarely get them. I believe we get 4 built into our year and after that we have to worry about making them up. This is my 5th year teaching and we've never had to make up days. It has to be REALLY bad out for us to get a snow day. Last year we had a near blizzard and still had school. Finally on the third day of it, when they still hadn't called for a snow day, I called in. I was NOT driving through it, again, to have very few kids show up (if we don't get a certain percentage of attendance, it counts as a snow day anyway and in that case I'd rather be home!).
My kids are older so I love snow days with them because they do their thing and I can usually do mine plus getting some quality girl-time in there too. I get very jealous when they get snow days and I don't (especially considering I drive past their respective schools to get to my own!).
I used to love snow days as a teacher. Now i teach a half day Kinder program and want every.single.second I can get with my kids because I have so little time with them!
I just have to say that I absolutely LOVE snow days! In our county we go longer days so that we can have 13 snow days built in to our schedule. As of Friday- we've used 14. They have now taken away our winter break (2 days) but this does not upset me. We got a week before and after Christmas break off due to snow and those days were FANTABULOUS! There is so much to love during a snow day- 1st and foremost...."the text stating- Sevier County Schools- Out!" Oh YEA! Nothing like staying up until 2am browsing through blogs and thinking of what I can do better next snow day. Ha. Seriously- there's nothing like snow days!
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