Thursday, February 8, 2018

SNOW WORRIES

By ROBERT EICHNER
ROBERT EICHNER FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY
As flakes fall from the sky, students all around Washingtonville have one thing on their minds: snow days!  There is nothing better than waking up to the sweet sound of the school calling early in the morning to say there is going to be a day off from the mundane routine of getting ready for school.  With the next storm forming over the Tri State area, it is officially time for students to wear their pajamas inside out and hope for the best! 

Students at Washingtonville High School are no strangers to New York snow storms, and have become experts at predicting them.   The next storm is quickly approaching.  The outlook for Wednesday, February 7th is “looking great for sleeping in and having a nice cup of joe,” Washingtonville senior, Dylan Spaulding excitedly expressed.  With only two snow days out of six left, this storm has many wondering if the school day will be dismissed or approved.

Before speculating  on this important decision,  one must understand what actually goes into deciding if a school day should be cancelled due to inclement weather.  According to The New York Times, “Many school districts follow the National Weather Service with their advisories and warnings which plays heavily as a deciding factor in the cancellation of school days.” 

On a typical school day, the garage mechanics at WHS will start their day around 3:30-4:00 am when snow or ice is in the forecast.  They are tasked with the job of  “assessing the county roads and walkways for dangerous travel conditions, and reporting back to the school Superintendent and the designated district transportation official for review.”   Then by 4:45- 6 am,  “The decision is made whether school will continue as planned or be cancelled,”  The New York Times stated.

Many students think the amount of snow days left for a certain district plays a major role in whether or not the day is cancelled.  However,  “This couldn't be further from the truth,” expressed kindergarten teacher Megan Rhoe.  “District officials ultimately care about student safety and are willing to sacrifice a school day to stop the possibility of students and faculty getting hurt.”   

In the rare event that a district goes over their allotted snow days due to situations such as a state of emergency, the Governor of New York may need to step in and settle things.  Mr. Cuomo can lobby to the Board of Education and settle on less than 180 days of school required by New York state as a result of conditions that were simply out of the hands of human nature.

Armed with the knowledge of what goes into a the cancellation of a snow day, the predicted forecast for tomorrow seems to have a good outlook for a cozy snow day.  So grab your hot chocolate, turn on Netflix, and enjoy the free day given to students across New York State by the amazing Mother Nature.

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