I've been reading about snow days and schools being closed, but I can't grasp the concept. Our schools hardly ever close except for long-lasting power breaks or really extreme weather conditions. I can't remember the last time schools were closed around here. Please, somebody explain, preferably using a teaspoon.
I don't know about other countries Droopy but here in Scotland the schools only close in extreme weather conditions too. Black ice on the roads counts as one as it's deemed too dangerous for drivers to be out and about. Blizzards or gale force winds strong enough to do damage to houses or fell trees is another. If the power supply fails and the back-up generators don't kick in then the children can't attend school.
Today is a "snow day" for my kids. The mix of wind, blowing snow, freezing rain makes for dangerous driving so the buses are cancelled. The schools ARE open if you can get there
The other day all area schools were closed here. We have a little more than a foot of snow on the ground. then we got a little rain and freezing rain. Next came the snow and 50 mph winds. When I went home from work, it was close to a white out. The roads were icy and the snow was blowing very hard. The wind chill was up to -35 degrees F in the morning so the schools closed. It is just too dangerous for the busses to run. It never did get above 0 degrees F that day.
Here in the artic nothing closes,,it just keep going as normal. When i live in the states i can only speak for the 3 that i lived in so i'll try to help you droopy. in Pennsylvania, the weather can be extremly cold, minus 30 an below. according to the schools that is dangerous for anyone to be out in, plus vehicle don't run so well. it also goes for ice storm, white outs, or just massive amounts of snow that stops traffic of anykind. in Alabama, if you thought of snow they cancelled school. why?? they are hotter an warmer climates that only see snow maybe a few times in the life of a person. they are not equipted to remove snow, or have the snow removal equipment in most places. In South Dakota it was pretty much the same as in Pennsylvania, it took alot before the schools would close down also in those 2 states there would be late starts to school giving the weather a chance to pass by or warm up a little so it would be easier for children to be out in it... mostly tho the schools did not close down but the kids could stay home but teachers would have to report to school incase children did show up. hope that helped alittle.
I think that there is a political motive to it also. The contracts that the teachers have with the schools, allow for a number of "snow days", so even if there aren't enough really bad days, they get that number of days off, regardless. That means that the kids get a day off on some days that aren't necessarily worthy. Usually "Snow Days" are days that the weather is bad enough that the kids could be in some danger coming and going from school. Tom
Droopy, schools were closed here Tuesday and Wedn. The roads were too bad to be on. Wedn. the state police was telling everyone to stay off the roads. Of course my oldest daughter has to commute to college-she was half way there then they decided they would only open half the day. Once she arrived there and parked she was then told there would be no classes at all. This not making my daughter happy at all-she has to drive an hour to get to college. and the roads were worse coming home she said. Low temperature and blowing snow and drifting are really bad conditions and keep schools closed. Hope this helps here from Michigan.
As Biita said about Alabama, most of the southern states here are not equipt to handle snow and ice. We here in north Texas might get a bad ice storm once every 10 years and a light snow of 2 inches or less every 2-3 years. Sometimes we do get a really bad storm that starts out as rain, turns to freezing rain, then sleet which results in a coating of ice on the streets, then could be topped with snow or not....those are the ones that close everything down here. Snow plows won't plow up a quarter inch of ice without ripping up the street, studded snow tires are illegal in Texas and a few other states, chains are okay but I think we may be the only people in the area who even own a set. The school district in our city does have two 'snow days' built into the school year just so the students will have the state required 180 school days each year and not have to attend a Saturday or two to make them up or extend the school year after the scheduled release date if we get snow/ice. If those two days are not needed for snow days then they are used as two holidays, the Friday before and the Monday after easter.
We've been using up our snow days like crazy. We rarely get a large amount of snow, and it's very sporadic. So the busses aren't really geared for snow chains- usually by the time they get them on they have to take them right back off. And since our temps are usually borderline, the stuff on the roads is most often ice. And because we never get time to get used to driving in those conditions, an awful lot of drivers wind up in ditches.
Thank you all for helping me to understand. Now I can safely say I know what you're talking about. To sum it up the schools close if it's really hazardous to venture outside, either on foot or by vehicle? Out here by the coast we're rarely below -10 deg C/14 deg F, but we often have strong winds. Further inland they often get -20 to -40 deg C/-4 to -40 deg F, but they rarely have strong winds at the same time. No wonder we're unaquainted with snow days.
I find it amazing after living in the states for so long, that up here nothing closes at all. our roads now have about 3 inches of ice on them, or 7cm. by march there will be at least anywhere between 6-12 inches or 15-30cm. and traffic keeps on going. even school. if its not an avalanche, hurricane or full storm everything goes as normal. even those don't stop anything, they just slow down some. yes droopy, that about sums it up, to your analysis.
Here in Ohio, they are only allowed 5 snow days a year. If they use more than that, then the kids have to make them up. Either cancel spring break or go longer when school is supposed to let out for summer. Now they do have 1 and 2 hour delays. These do not count against them as long as they are is session for so many hours for that day. The schools around here were on a 2 hr. delay because of ice on the roads. It does help the bus drivers as they can see the roads better.
"Here in Ohio, they are only allowed 5 snow days a year. If they use more than that, then the kids have to make them up." What happens if there is a complete white-out and high drifts of snow for weeks on end CK? It seems a bit rough on the children that they only get 5 snow days a year and have to use their own time off to make up if they have more than that off school.
When kids get a snow day, it's like a holiday. Kids don't care if it's snowing a blizzard. They are out building snowmen, sledding, skiing or whatever. They have their day off. Mine weren't allowed to go off the block but they had plenty of places to have their fun. They were in and out to get warm or have hot drinks but snow didn't keep them inside for the day. It was only for the driving in it that they closed the schools. dooley
We live in a rural area, and most kids live outside of town (farming community) and are bused to school. Our school district took a day off yesterday due to the icy roads, which makes it difficult for the buses to travel on. Our highway crews were out salting the roads the last few days, but it's been so cold that the salt wasn't melting the ice. I'm glad I have 4-wheel drive on my truck but it's been difficult for me, too, with all the ice on the roads. Let's hope the groundhog doesn't see his shadow tomorrow and that we'll have an early spring!
