| Author | Message | ||
     snowmom Citizen Username: Snowmom Post Number: 209 Registered: 5-2001 |
Any odds on there being school tomorrow? | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 1841 Registered: 5-2001 |
Well, I never would have put money on this outcome, but I just got the call ... we have a 2-hour delayed opening today. (This hasn't happened in all the years my 8th grader has been in the schools.) | ||
| suzanneng Citizen Username: Suzanneng Post Number: 287 Registered: 3-2002 |
thanks sac, you beat me to the posting... Hasn't happened to me in the 10 years I've been working in district!! edited to add: I was trying to find a place in print for information on delayed openings as related to AM kindergarten (cancelled or not?) and the transportation of the students, so I could repost the info on South Mtn's website? I checked my copy of the district calendar/handbook , and the online policy manual but other than policy 8220, which defines the school day and says the supt. CAN have a delayed opening, could find nothing about procedures. Of course it is too late now, but I'd like to be prepared in case it EVER happens again. | ||
| Rudbekia Citizen Username: Rudbekia Post Number: 81 Registered: 3-2004 |
The Tuscan PTA site says that in the event of a delay, morning K is canceled. http://www.tuscanpta.org/info/general.htm#Closings But it also says that school will start at 10, and it's starting at 10:40. But even so, I can't imagine that morning K wouldn't be cancel under either circumstance. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 578 Registered: 1-2004  |
The funny thing is the recordings say the schools are operating on a regular schedule. I know thery're delayed though. Sac and Suzann are you saying there hasn't been a delayed opening in 10 years? I remember several of delayed openings.  I'm going back to sleep! YEAH! | ||
| cody Citizen Username: Cody Post Number: 671 Registered: 5-2001 |
Procedure for delayed openings has been that morning kindergarten is cancelled, and everything else starts 2 hours later than usual (not all the schools start at the same time and the buses will have to make their usual runs, just 2 hours later). That means that Tuscan, which usually starts at 8:40 will start at 10:40 and dismiss as usual at 3:15. Schools that start earlier, will start 2 hours later than their specific start time(CHS at 10:05 instead of 8:05) I recall a day two years ago when school started on schedule, but then closed at 9 am, meaning all the kids had to be sent home; that was a big mess because many parents were on their way to work at the very time school was being closed. I don't recall a delayed opening since my son (a CHS junior now) was in kindergarten or first grade. Traditionally, they haven't been popular with parents. | ||
| finnegan Citizen Username: Finnegan Post Number: 190 Registered: 6-2001 |
Well, we never got a phone call - so thanks for keeping me informed! Also, the BOE website has a link to info about school closings, and it says "No postings available at this time." | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 1842 Registered: 5-2001 |
I'm puzzled about the siren. I could swear that I heard a long siren which is supposed to be the signal for a closing rather than a delay. I think a delay is supposed to be two (or three?) short sirens, isn't it? Oh well ... out to tackle the driveway. | ||
| pat Citizen Username: Pat Post Number: 29 Registered: 5-2001 |
It is in fact a two hour delay: we got one phone call from the Tuscan phone chain, another from the MMS one. Whoever does the siren should learn the system... | ||
| Bobkat Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 7719 Registered: 5-2001 |
My recollection is that their are different siren patterns for delayed vs. closed. And the kids and teachers stay an extra two hours to make up for the lost time? Right?  | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 1843 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dismissal time is normal, not delayed. | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 1844 Registered: 5-2001 |
Re the district web site link ... I don't think that they have notified that service of any of our last several closings, so I don't understand why they even keep that link on the site if they aren't going to use it. Any comment from the BOE or Admninistration on this point? Better yet, why not just put a notice right on the home page? Having done this for the MMS HSA site this morning within a few minutes of receiving the phone call, I know that it can be done easily and quickly by whoever maintains the site. | ||
| suzanneng Citizen Username: Suzanneng Post Number: 288 Registered: 3-2002 |
sac - I know what you mean (and this is not an official district statement...) ..I'm the librarian, and I do the South Mtn website...normally I'd be towards the bottom of our snow chain,because I live in W.O., but I am at the top (and get called by the principal)... so I can jump out of bed and update the website. I had the index file all changed to reflect a Schools Closed status (but the page hadn't been posted of course), then at 5 am, I'm trying to type a new message and get it posted. I have an idea of who is supposed to notify cancellations.com; I'll check with that person about the posting problems for the past few storms. I'm not sure how it works, but I think it is a message board setup; once you are a registered submitter, you just post yourself any updates. This AM's message says it was last updated at 7:54 am today... of course a bit late, if you didn't hear the siren or get the phone call. As for the notice on the district home page...I think it may have to do with remote access into the district server. Most, if not all, of the school's PTA sites are not hosted on school equipment, so access is not an issue, and one can easily update from home. Was it the fact it was 5 am and I was half asleep the reason that I couldn't find any info about closings vs delays in the District calendar/handbook? Or is it just not there? Just the Aunt, I've worked in the district for the past 9 years, and other than that craziness 2-3 years ago, where school opened and then closed again by 9 am, I cannot recall a delayed opening. (Again, these are not official district comments) | ||
| LibraryLady(ncjanow) Supporter Username: Librarylady Post Number: 2233 Registered: 5-2001  |
1010wins had the delayed opening on their announcement and website plus I received no less than 5 emails from 1010wins's service that school was delayed. Since I no longer have anyone in the district, I guess I should remove myself from some of those email lists  | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 390 Registered: 3-2002 |
Suzanne, any clue what the South Mountain AM kindergarten kids do? The parent who called us at 5:30 AM implied that they come in for a 45 minute day, which seems crazy to us (and I'm guessing that at least half of us will keep them home if this is true...). It would be nice if the snow chain people for AM Kindergarten knew the answer to this. Thanks | ||
| hismom Citizen Username: Hismom Post Number: 211 Registered: 5-2001 |
Marshall's directory indicates that AM K is cancelled when opening is delayed. I would imagine it holds true for all schools. (My PM K son is very unhappy that his is "on schedule") | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 1845 Registered: 5-2001 |
It has been awhile since I had a kindergartener and we never had a delay, but I do remember that the procedures that were published to all families said that AM kindergarten would be cancelled in the event of a delay. So, every Kindergarten parent should know this, and especially the people calling the phone chain. | ||
| suzanneng Citizen Username: Suzanneng Post Number: 289 Registered: 3-2002 |
My guess would be that it was cancelled - but again, this is not official comment. However the message I rec'd this AM didn't say anything about AM kindergarten (and I wasn't lucid enough at 5 am to think to ask). The PTA recording announced that there *WAS* AM kindergarten, because that was the message he was told to record. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5656 Registered: 1-2003  |
I'm on the phone chain for MMS. I don't know why I had to receive the call today at 5:18am. But I thanked the woman and went back to bed. I got up at 7 and started calling. My gripe is that one father I spoke to angrily said, "we know already!". Then I said, "Oh!" in a very friendly voice, because I was glad, and then he quickly hung up. Well, maybe he was angry at me for calling so early. Or maybe so late. Or maybe because I didn't know that he knew already, though how could I know that? Hey, I'm doing my best, and I don't want someone to snip at me for my volunteer efforts. Should I bother telling him or the person above me in the chain? Or should I just keep performing my duty, receiving "negative gratitude"? | ||
| spw784 Supporter Username: Spw784 Post Number: 652 Registered: 5-2001 |
just a personal comment, tom - but by 7 am, parents may be getting their kids ready for school already (or themselves for ready for work) , or for their before school care program. Knowing at 5:15 am, allows those parents to know FOR SURE, about the opening of school, and can plan accordingly.. i.e. letting kids sleep in, making alternate child care or transporation arrangement, etc |
