What makes a Snow Day a Snow Day?

What+makes+a+Snow+Day+a+Snow+Day%3F

Emily Peters and Megan Rhoades
January 14, 2020

Every year around this time the snow starts flying and everything starts freezing.  

Students get their hopes up in anticipation of a snow day and disappointed when the yellow buses run on a normal schedule. 

So, what makes school get cancelled? 

According to the Superintendent of Lewis County Schools, Dr. Robin Lewis, school will be cancelled if it is unsafe traveling conditions for LC students and faculty. 

“It’s one of the hardest decisions I have,” Dr. Lewis told journalism students in an interview January 8. 

She said she wouldn’t want to do anything that would put student lives or safety in jeopardy. She says it is her job to make sure students are safe and that she does what she thinks is best. 

Thus, she said it is a combination of many factors–temperature, weather conditions, road conditions and weather forecast–which will cause school to be delayed or cancelled.  

She said that during the winter, she will wake up as early as 2:30 a.m. to travel throughout the county to make sure the roads are safe. She relies on first-hand research as well as information from the National Weather Service, WV Department of Highways and talking to neighboring county superintendents.  She travels southern county roads including Georgetown, Walkersville and Roanoke areas, and then proceeds north going through Weston to Jane Lew. 

She said from a transportation perspective that ice is worse than snow. She said bus drivers can put on chains to help with snow, but nothing will stop people from sliding on ice. 

The veteran superintendent said it is a myth that there is a rule about cancelling school due to temperature. She said in the winter, students should wear appropriate clothing for the weather.  

Dr. Lewis said she tries to make the call before the earliest working employees—cooks and bus drivers—have to get on the roads. 

“I try to make the call between 4:30 and 5 a.m.,” Dr. Lewis said. 

Normally, most school years have between 5-10 snow days. Last year Lewis County Schools had 4 snow days.  

She said parents have messaged her to complain when a decision is made to close or remain open. And, she gets more complaints for not calling off school than calling off school. 

Mr. John Whiston principal agreed and tried to explain the variables with school delays and closures. 

 “It all depends on the temperature, precipitation, and what time of the day it snows. If it snows around 3 or 4 in the morning then the snowplows won’t have enough time to clear roads off before school starts,” Whiston said. 

 

 

 

Students suggestions for cancelling school

Students said they wish there was a more ‘cut and dry’ formula for school cancellation. Some suggested having a certain amount of snow on the ground and temperature. 

“There should be 3-4 inches of snow on the ground, and it should be 15 degrees to call school off, and we should for sure call school off even if there’s a little snow and ice on the roads,” Dillion Quinn, senior, said. 

 “There should have to be 3 inches of snow on the ground, and if its 15 degrees or colder, then we should call school off. It depends how much ice and snow there actually is on the roads,” Dakota Billing, junior, said. 

 “There should be 3-4 inches of snow on the ground to all school off, and it should be 10 degrees or below, and it really depends how much snow or ice there is on the roads,” Maddy Ross, junior, said. 

“There needs to be 3-5 inches of snow on the ground, and it needs to be 35 degrees or lower. If there’s snow or ice on the road, then we shouldn’t have to come to school,” Megan Hurst, sophomore, said. 

“There should be 3-4 inches of snow on the ground and if it’s below 10 degrees, we shouldn’t come to school. If there’s only a little snow or ice on the roads, we still shouldn’t come to school because a lot of students drive to school,” Adrian Cottrell, sophomore, said. 

“There needs to be 3 inches of snow, and it should be 30 degrees or below. If there’s snow or ice, then we need to call school off for our safety,” Ivanna Waggy, freshman, said. 

 “There should be 2 ½ inches to call off school. If it’s 20 degrees or lower, school needs to be canceled. If there’s ice or snow on the roads, call school off,” Kayden Miles, freshman, said. 

Senior Korbyn Tallarito had the opinion of many students wishing for as many snow days as possible. 

“There should be a quarter of an inch of snow on the ground, and it should be 55 degrees, and if there’s snow or ice on the roads, then we should definitely call school off,” Tallarito concluded.