I had to use one of my vacation days to stay home with my children on Friday due to the school cancellation. Admittedly it stinks when children and teachers have to stay in a cold room, in an old school, on a freezing day. Certainly we don't want children to freeze walking to school, however, I was watching the news and at the very same time that it was 15-20 degrees above zero here in New England it was 15-20 degrees below zero in Minnesota, and there were many, many, children, bundled up, walking to school. It's a tough call. I guess ultimately if it only means a day or two extra at the end of the year, why not be better safe than sorry. No biggie!!
Smitty - 15 years ago
THE WEATHER FRIDAY DIDN'T CALL FOR SNOW--THAT IS TRUE, BUT AGAIN THAT ISN'T THE REASON SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED. FRIDAY, THE REASON WAS THE WIND CHILL FACTOR--WHICH WAS WAY DOWN INTO THE MINUS NUMBERS.
HONESTLY, I THINK YOU PEOPLE SHOULD GET INFORMED BEFORE YOU BOTHER TO COMMENT!
There was NO storm forecast for Friday and yet the day was canceled because of the COLD!
The comments are interesting.
Things have to change and it starts with attitude as a lot of adults are spoiled.
cam - 15 years ago
All the posts are interesting to read. I know that my job in the school department is not breaking the bank (I loose the days in pay, until they are made up in June). I agree with Smitty, the forecast called for one thing but turned out another way. The choice to close was for the protection of the children wheather, driving in the buses on slick snowy roads, or walking on unplowed sidewalks.
Smitty - 15 years ago
ALL YOU PEOPLE COMMENTING ON COLD WEATHER ARE OFF IN LEFT FIELD. THE REASON SCHOOL WAS CANCELLED ON THURSDAY WAS BECAUSE OF A STORM THAT NEVER MATERIALIZED--THE TEMPERATURES WERE A SECONDARY REASON.
Thos - 15 years ago
Well..two things..I don't think contracts or unions have anything to do with snow/cold days...Trust me..no teachers are getting wealthy..far from it. That said, there is no reason to cancel school b/c of the cold...ridiculous. Not a good lesson for kids.
Name - 15 years ago
The kids and teachers both were praying for days off on Thursday and Friday. We're in the midst of the worse winter in recent history and there will certainly be some legitimate snow days coming up. So what is the end result, the teachers and kids start whining when they are in school until July. Can you see the headlines now? It was a waste of 2 days out of school. Don't complain when you are working / attending school through the end of June. And they will be vying to shorten the school year at that point, citing there is no air conditioning in the older schools. (the headlines...can you see them now???)
Boy you can sure tell who the teachers are.
First off, dragonflymagick starts the rudeness with the "Do the math" comment.
No one likes a wisea++.
Second off, things don't always get better. Just look at the teacher contracts that break the city budgets all across the land. Back in the day you went into teaching knowing you would be over worked and under paid. And the people that taught me did it anyway. Now it is all about the teachers.
Lastly, Roger's post was perfectly fine as was his Ste Anne's education.
The teachers and most importantly the unions are out of control and show why the model for present day government does NOT work any longer.
Then again everyone now gets a 5 day w/e.
denise - 15 years ago
we never lost a day when we were kids due to being to cold.we walked in it.rain,snow sun whatever the weather was the kids of today are so spol it's unreal.god forgive if they were cold
Jeff - 15 years ago
Roger, it looks like that St. Anne's education was worth it. I stopped counting when I got to 6 gramatical errors in your sentence.
I'm sick of the 'back when I was kid" speech. The world changes (usually for the better). Get over it.
Roger - 15 years ago
WIMPS !! Does Dragonfly want to teach in 90 degree weather. I don't think so. I lived in Fall River as a student. I lived near Mason's Furniture store and WALKED to Ste Anne's School on Middle Street. School was never canceled due to cold weather. We dressed appropriately and went to school. And just so you know. We were very poor. The only reason classes were canceled is because school officials are afraid of law suits by indifferent parents. And for that we have the news media to Thank. They blow all weather situations out of proportion.
Rick - 15 years ago
I know there will be remarks made when I say this, but when I was going to school when I was a kid, we never had a day off because of cold temps. Not only that, all kids would have to walk to school no matter how cold it was, and we were not bussed to school. When is it all going to stop. Listen, you want to make life easier for the childen. Start school in Feburary, and continue through October. Schools will save on heating, less danger to our children in those cold, and icing pot hole roads.
Maria - 15 years ago
Jim, there's no need to be so rude. First off all I completely understand Dragonflymagick because the same thing happens in Durfee (i'm a student). For it to be in the single digits and below is damn good enough to cancel school. Think about the kids who wait at 7am at the bustop, or the kids who walk back and forth to school. In extreme cold (and NO New England does not see these temps often) it's best to stay inside to keep warm. And btw adding a few days at the end of the year IS NO BIG DEAL! The end of the year is always the best anways.
Jim - 15 years ago
Dragonfly,
Maybe if your union contract wasn't unreasonable the department could afford to fix the boiler.
Your whining is a poor example to our children and you should retire as soon as possible.
It's winter in New England... it's cold... deal with it. Peraps you'd rather trade and go to school July and August in order to have the winter months off?
dragonflymagick - 15 years ago
I am a teacher in one of the older Middle Schools.
Because of the way the building faces and the old boilers, my room is the coldest in the building.
To give you two reasons of why this is a necessary closure...On a day that was 31 degrees outside, my room reached a high of 54 degrees all day. That was after 1 o'clock. Prior to that it was steadily in the thirties.
My students and I all were wearing jackets, and still freezing our butts off.
If the buildings can't be heated properly, then its in the welfare of those inside not to be in them on a day that is below zero.
Secondly, we have so many low income families...the kids often come dressed improperly for the weather. There are still kids coming in shorts or without jackets. Many of our students walk. Do the math.
I had to use one of my vacation days to stay home with my children on Friday due to the school cancellation. Admittedly it stinks when children and teachers have to stay in a cold room, in an old school, on a freezing day. Certainly we don't want children to freeze walking to school, however, I was watching the news and at the very same time that it was 15-20 degrees above zero here in New England it was 15-20 degrees below zero in Minnesota, and there were many, many, children, bundled up, walking to school. It's a tough call. I guess ultimately if it only means a day or two extra at the end of the year, why not be better safe than sorry. No biggie!!
THE WEATHER FRIDAY DIDN'T CALL FOR SNOW--THAT IS TRUE, BUT AGAIN THAT ISN'T THE REASON SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED. FRIDAY, THE REASON WAS THE WIND CHILL FACTOR--WHICH WAS WAY DOWN INTO THE MINUS NUMBERS.
HONESTLY, I THINK YOU PEOPLE SHOULD GET INFORMED BEFORE YOU BOTHER TO COMMENT!
There was NO storm forecast for Friday and yet the day was canceled because of the COLD!
The comments are interesting.
Things have to change and it starts with attitude as a lot of adults are spoiled.
All the posts are interesting to read. I know that my job in the school department is not breaking the bank (I loose the days in pay, until they are made up in June). I agree with Smitty, the forecast called for one thing but turned out another way. The choice to close was for the protection of the children wheather, driving in the buses on slick snowy roads, or walking on unplowed sidewalks.
ALL YOU PEOPLE COMMENTING ON COLD WEATHER ARE OFF IN LEFT FIELD. THE REASON SCHOOL WAS CANCELLED ON THURSDAY WAS BECAUSE OF A STORM THAT NEVER MATERIALIZED--THE TEMPERATURES WERE A SECONDARY REASON.
Well..two things..I don't think contracts or unions have anything to do with snow/cold days...Trust me..no teachers are getting wealthy..far from it. That said, there is no reason to cancel school b/c of the cold...ridiculous. Not a good lesson for kids.
The kids and teachers both were praying for days off on Thursday and Friday. We're in the midst of the worse winter in recent history and there will certainly be some legitimate snow days coming up. So what is the end result, the teachers and kids start whining when they are in school until July. Can you see the headlines now? It was a waste of 2 days out of school. Don't complain when you are working / attending school through the end of June. And they will be vying to shorten the school year at that point, citing there is no air conditioning in the older schools. (the headlines...can you see them now???)
Boy you can sure tell who the teachers are.
First off, dragonflymagick starts the rudeness with the "Do the math" comment.
No one likes a wisea++.
Second off, things don't always get better. Just look at the teacher contracts that break the city budgets all across the land. Back in the day you went into teaching knowing you would be over worked and under paid. And the people that taught me did it anyway. Now it is all about the teachers.
Lastly, Roger's post was perfectly fine as was his Ste Anne's education.
The teachers and most importantly the unions are out of control and show why the model for present day government does NOT work any longer.
Then again everyone now gets a 5 day w/e.
we never lost a day when we were kids due to being to cold.we walked in it.rain,snow sun whatever the weather was the kids of today are so spol it's unreal.god forgive if they were cold
Roger, it looks like that St. Anne's education was worth it. I stopped counting when I got to 6 gramatical errors in your sentence.
I'm sick of the 'back when I was kid" speech. The world changes (usually for the better). Get over it.
WIMPS !! Does Dragonfly want to teach in 90 degree weather. I don't think so. I lived in Fall River as a student. I lived near Mason's Furniture store and WALKED to Ste Anne's School on Middle Street. School was never canceled due to cold weather. We dressed appropriately and went to school. And just so you know. We were very poor. The only reason classes were canceled is because school officials are afraid of law suits by indifferent parents. And for that we have the news media to Thank. They blow all weather situations out of proportion.
I know there will be remarks made when I say this, but when I was going to school when I was a kid, we never had a day off because of cold temps. Not only that, all kids would have to walk to school no matter how cold it was, and we were not bussed to school. When is it all going to stop. Listen, you want to make life easier for the childen. Start school in Feburary, and continue through October. Schools will save on heating, less danger to our children in those cold, and icing pot hole roads.
Jim, there's no need to be so rude. First off all I completely understand Dragonflymagick because the same thing happens in Durfee (i'm a student). For it to be in the single digits and below is damn good enough to cancel school. Think about the kids who wait at 7am at the bustop, or the kids who walk back and forth to school. In extreme cold (and NO New England does not see these temps often) it's best to stay inside to keep warm. And btw adding a few days at the end of the year IS NO BIG DEAL! The end of the year is always the best anways.
Dragonfly,
Maybe if your union contract wasn't unreasonable the department could afford to fix the boiler.
Your whining is a poor example to our children and you should retire as soon as possible.
It's winter in New England... it's cold... deal with it. Peraps you'd rather trade and go to school July and August in order to have the winter months off?
I am a teacher in one of the older Middle Schools.
Because of the way the building faces and the old boilers, my room is the coldest in the building.
To give you two reasons of why this is a necessary closure...On a day that was 31 degrees outside, my room reached a high of 54 degrees all day. That was after 1 o'clock. Prior to that it was steadily in the thirties.
My students and I all were wearing jackets, and still freezing our butts off.
If the buildings can't be heated properly, then its in the welfare of those inside not to be in them on a day that is below zero.
Secondly, we have so many low income families...the kids often come dressed improperly for the weather. There are still kids coming in shorts or without jackets. Many of our students walk. Do the math.