Snow Day for JCPS!!!!!

It seems like a good deal of the time, we have hundreds of kids in JCPS. Between the kids that my husband teaches in class and the ones he coaches in cross country/track, their needs often trump what's going on with us in our daily post-work and weekend lives.

And please, I beg of you, please can we not launch into a discussion of "neighborhood" schools?

The early dismissal doesn't affect me either way, but if my daughter were younger and I worked AWAY from home, I might consider this early closing a pain in the butt, but so would a full snow day.
I'm relieved they sent them half day because
1) so they don't have to make it up in June and
2) yes, the school lunches - so many kids get their only meal at school.

speaking of going to school in June - what's the big deal? I remember starting school after labor day and ending in June. My son (23) went to school into June - it really hasn't been that long since they did that here.

The early dismissal doesn't affect me either way, but if my daughter were younger and I worked AWAY from home, I might consider this early closing a pain in the butt, but so would a full snow day.
I'm relieved they sent them half day because
1) so they don't have to make it up in June and
2) yes, the school lunches - so many kids get their only meal at school.

speaking of going to school in June - what's the big deal? I remember starting school after labor day and ending in June. My son (23) went to school into June - it really hasn't been that long since they did that here.

During Jr High (oops Middle School) I went to school every summer. Of course, that was simply to make up for the classes I flunked during the regular school year. It also allowed me to engage in productive dialog with my teachers who were empowered by my Dad to smack the snot out of me when (not if) I misbehaved.

During Jr High (oops Middle School) I went to school every summer.

but summer school was considered it's own "quarter" - the regular school year was graded in 3 quarters. I knew lots of kids that went to summer school just to graduate early.

I, on the other hand, had a mom that considered studyhall a waste, so I had to take regular classes. that's how I finished early

It also allowed me to engage in productive dialog with my teachers who were empowered by my Dad to smack the snot out of me when (not if) I misbehaved.

When I was in school all teachers were allowed to smack the snot out of students, withOUT being empowered by mom or dad!

but summer school was considered it's own "quarter" - the regular school year was graded in 3 quarters. I knew lots of kids that went to summer school just to graduate early.

Nope. We had 4 quarters of 8 or 9 weeks. The summer schools at that time were reserved for slackers such as myself and no bright kid would want his or her name associated with the losers in summer school.'Tis true and I still have my report cards someplace to prove it.

[
During Jr High (oops Middle School) I went to school every summer. Of course, that was simply to make up for the classes I flunked during the regular school year. It also allowed me to engage in productive dialog with my teachers who were empowered by my Dad to smack the snot out of me when (not if) I misbehaved.

........................................................................ Now THAT was a great post. I'm gonna give it a "9.5"...woulda been a "10" if you could have somehow worked "French Culture" into it. Sadly, I think you might have made "the list" with that post...but hey, I'll put in a good word for ya with the Mayor.

edit: In retrospect the post could have been further improved on by substituting "misbehaved" with "Behaviorally-Challenged.

It also allowed me to engage in productive dialog with my teachers who were empowered by my Dad to smack the snot out of me when (not if) I misbehaved.

When I was in school all teachers were allowed to smack the snot out of students, withOUT being empowered by mom or dad!

Damn right. As well they should be.

Teachers should not be expected to play the role of parents; even at school. EVER.

I'm a JCPS teacher and just so you know what my day looked like....

8:50-9:05 "Is it going to snow? Is it going to snow?" was the question of the morning.
9:05-9:30 Morning Meeting where we worked on phonics, sentence structure, and community building
9:30-10:00 Exercise since were going to miss it this afternoon. I also spent that time calling every one of my parents.
10:00-10:30 Writing
10:30-11:50 Reading
11:50-12:10 Lunch (over 90% free and reduced lunch)
12:10-12:30 Healthy Snack and getting stuff ready to go
12:30-1:10 Special Area
1:25 Dismissal

I think teachers try to keep these kind of days pretty normal, but it's like herding cats.

Day like this are why my move to MN cannot occur soon enough.

Dude,

It's gonna be 22 BELOW zero in The Cities tonight (without factoring in a wind chill which will take it down to ohhhhhh about 45 below). They've got 2 feet of snow on the ground and another 3 or 4 inches on the way. Minny is one of the greatest places on earth to live............6 months out of the year...but (and trust me on this) January is NOT one of those months.

And yet their schools are open and roads are operable.

And yet their schools are open and roads are operable.

No. They really are not.

http://www.kare11.com/weather/severe_weather/schoolalert/current_closings.aspx

And yet their schools are open and roads are operable.

No. They really are not.

http://www.kare11.com/weather/severe_weather/schoolalert/current_closings.aspx

Mmmmmmm....yes, actually they are.

Best I can tell all MSP/STP and all suburban schools are open. 90% of those districts listed as closed/early dismissal are "out state"...That is to say in rural areas where if a school bus breaks down in minus 30 degree wind chills we're VERY quickly talking about actual by-God life threatening emergency...as say opposed to the minor inconveniences or "what if the sky fell" scenarios we're discussing here.

All that being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Governor up there close the schools statewide tomorrow. It's happened before when the wind chill statewide drops below minus 30 degrees.

[Robin Garr]

As a public service to the uninitiated, we also frown on (among others) the words:

Closure
Nurturer
Validate
Bonding
Consensus
Dialog
Empower
Enabler
Level the playing field

and of course (my favorite)

French Culture.

Hmm, I think I'm busted on all of them except maybe the last.

..That is to say in rural areas where if a school bus breaks down in minus 30 degree wind chills we're VERY quickly talking about actual by-God life threatening emergency...as say opposed to the minor inconveniences or "what if the sky fell" scenarios we're discussing here.

I'll validate that! All one has to do is experience rural Minnesota winter weather just once to get an appreciation for how deadly it can be for the unprepared.