Snow Day Makeup for schools = NONSENSE

Apparently, having the made the right call affecting schools and adverse weather last week, JOCO School decision makers apparently lost all common sense as to the makeup day.

Tony, I really appreciated the phone call the evening before the school day, so we could make alternate plans for childcare. Making the announcement that early made it easier for many parents to develop plans for their kids.

What I don't understand is the nonsensical plan for makeup of the day.

Currently, the plan is for the day to be made up on Friday, 4-13, during the Spring Break. Tony...Tony..Tony.... think this one through.

As a parent with Spring Break to for which to plan, I have several issues that affect my planning. As many other schools across the US will be on break that week, I have to compete with those families for hotel rooms, travel, and entertainment; whether we are planning to do to Granma's in Kenly, Universal in Orlando or El's Drive In in Morehead City. The break, prior to this nonsensical makeup day, gave my family from Friday, April 6th through Sunday, April 15th for our break. That gave us travel time, hotel accommodations, etc. And these venues, other than possibly Granma’s in Kenly, book quickly and far in advance. Chances are that families going elsewhere have already had to obligate some type of payment for reservations.

Additionally, the employees of the school system have to change plans to be at school on the 8th day of a planned 10-day break. How can the cafeteria staff be expected to serve one meal, and then perform the usual cleanup for one day only? How can teachers, TA’s (bus drivers) enjoy some family time if they are required to interrupt their plans?

Don’t get me wrong, Tony. I expect all school employees to give their utmost attention to school matters, reasonably. I expect them to, and believe that most work hard at being the best they can be. Given that, I also expect them to be able to relax and recharge themselves so they can continue to reach for excellence in education. They have earned their opportunity to find some balance between work and family life.

What’s the plan for substitute teachers, bus drivers etc for those team members who will be absent with their families? From where will the substitute teachers come? I can’t foresee many subs waiting around by the phone on the 8th day of Spring Break, in the odd chance they’ll be called in to teach.

Now the proposed makeup date is Friday, 4-13, DURING THE BREAK, meaning that families traveling would have to curtail their visits to return so the kids can be in school on Friday.

Let's examine this academically, Tony. What new material will be introduced on a Friday, with the kids having had several days off, and a weekend to spend until school starts again? What kind of tests and exams could reasonably be expected for students to take, given the several days off? How many students will attend school?

I see this as a shortsighted make up day, which apparently was not well thought out.

Before this decision sticks, use some common sense and place the makeup date on the end of the school year.

Believe this, Tony. I am the most vocal advocate for JoCo Schools that I know. I also call them as I see them, and having the snow day makeup during the Spring Break is embarrassingly not well considered.

 

Just think, these people making the decision are supposed to be educated! You would think that they would be able to rationalize a better makeup day than a day on Spring Break! How about a teacher workday as a makeup day? Personally I think they should have never called a snow day anyway. They could have had the kids picked up and in class way before the .01 inch of snow fell… which was all gone before noon. I think they need to give the kids this one day.

 

here here
and
amen

 

ya'll didn't know that the snow day was gonna have to be made up? normally spring break is where they do it. that is why it's so long. it happens practically every year. why so shocked?

 

I don't think the shock is from Spring Break losing a day. I think the shock is that they are losing a day in the MIDDLE of spring break... They will be off for days - go to school one day- then be off for days. Most students will be out of town as well as the stff may have plans already. Bad choice for make up day...poor planning and consideration.

 

WRONG! The 13th is the last day of Spring Break, not stuck in the middle.

 

It's not surprising to me. This is by the same people that planned a 3 day weekend in front of a 4 day weekend.

 

Not having a stake in this claim but I do have to question as to why they even bothered to cancel school last week anyway. they knew that the weather wouldn't be moving in till later in the morning after the buses were already at the schools. and they knew it would be turning to rain later in the day, when the buses would be on the roads taking the children home. No weather endangerment involved at all.


Totally senseless planning and thought if you ask me.


Craig

 

Regardless of it being the "norm" to make up a day at spring break, it still is silly to open the school for one day only to be out a few more days after that. I agree that a teacher work day be the make up day or give the day up.

I thought the schools were allowed so many "snow days" anyway that did not have to be made up. They did that when I was in school.....

 

As long as you ignore the following weekend in relation to the Spring Break, which is not what most people do when planning such things.

 

i was thinking the same thing

 

Well, I'm taking Little One to see family. Since I'm taking her out of school BEFORE Spring Break, it'll be turned into an educational trip...paper and all. If she ends up being out the 13th, so be it. I cannot change plans for a botched snow day.

and

Yes, when I was in school, we had 2 days built into the year as snow days. If we were out more than those 2, then we had to start making it up. We rarely had make up days, then it was usually on a Spring Break day or Saturday.

Frogger

 

I am also curious about snow days. I thought they had some that were covered in the calendar year. If not this should be made part of the school plan. If I am here my son will go, if not I agree with frogger.

 

Snow Days and Year Round, you can't please everyone.
Why someone would want to be on a school board is beyond me.

 

That's why for the last 12 years we've planned all our vacations in the summer. Each to his own, but I could never see planning something that could be taken away if we were to have a big snowfall and they lose 3 or 4 days. Despite our urban crawl with places to eat, shop, etc., we are still a big rural county. Just because snow or ice are gone in your neck of the woods does not mean it is in other parts of the county. So we decided when the kids started school, to never make plans during spring break.

 

Crzy,

glad that you are able to plan ahead. In your situation, you have your bases covered.

That's probably not the case for many. For some of us, summer time is the buys season and we're not as able to get away, whereas it is easier for us to get away during early spirngtime.

Weather is generally nicer where we go, and crowds are less so. And, having lived in Florida for years, I can tell you that visiting the theme parks in July is a lot less comfortable, heat and humidity wise, than in April. Then again, Manhattan is nicer in the Pring thnat the muggy summer, too.

I urge the JoCo school schedulers to postpone the makeup day until the end of year.

 

Is there a "law" or rule that there must be so many students in attendance for it to count as a school day in the books? (I remember hearing rumors of this back when lots of students were absent due to the flu) If so, I could see this makeup day failing. Most parents I have spoken with just aren't sending their kids that day.

 

You can't "give up" the day. NC law requires 180 days of instruction. And if teacher work days could be cancelled willy nilly, why bother having them at all? Its not like the teachers are sitting around in the lounge sipping coffee and playing checkers on those days.

We DO have snow days built into the calendar. They're called "sping break". That's the way its always been here. You could have asked any teacher or anyone at the BOE before making vacation plans. I like it this way. I don't want ANYTHING cutting into our summers.

 

if they hadn't of cancelled school that day then these same parents would be on here complaining about that. you can't please everyone.

Spring Break is so long because that is the days they have always used for make up days. There have been years when spring break was just a few days because of snow. Now if there is a big snow and students miss several days in a row (i forget how many) then they would not have to be made up. And as far as adding these days on to the end of the year, that won't work. The last day of school is June 7. Graduation is June 8 which is a Friday. If they are added to the end and we get one more snow day are you gonna give these Seniors their diploma on Friday night and expect them to be in class the next Monday? I think not.

 

I guess they could have the make-up day the first Saturday of the period.