Locally Grown Northfield » school closings http://locallygrownnorthfield.org The people, issues, and events of Northfield, MN Thu, 24 May 2012 12:52:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The schools are closed. Um, why? http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/20474/ http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/20474/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:59:46 +0000 Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/20474/ We got maybe 7 inches of snow. It stopped snowing at about 7 pm last night. There’s no wind. It’s 25 degrees. The mist is not an issue since the streets and highways are slushy with salt.

And yet, school was cancelled this morning.  I don’t get it.  But I think it would

Continue reading The schools are closed. Um, why?

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We got maybe 7 inches of snow. It stopped snowing at about 7 pm last night. There’s no wind. It’s 25 degrees. The mist is not an issue since the streets and highways are slushy with salt.

And yet, school was cancelled this morning.  I don’t get it.  But I think it would be helpful if the rationale was included with the announcement by those who make the decision.

]]> http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/20474/feed/ 15 If you were superintendent of schools, what would guide your snow-related school-closing decisions? http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/15665/ http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/15665/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:07:11 +0000 Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/15665/ Many local schools/districts cancelled classes two hours early yesterday and have scheduled two-late starts today cancelled classes today (Northfield school-closing info here). 

I noticed some people bitching whining thoughtfully discussing this on Facebook yesterday and today. Some comments:

JP: “Why not just call a snow day right off the

Continue reading If you were superintendent of schools, what would guide your snow-related school-closing decisions?

]]> school-closings Many local schools/districts cancelled classes two hours early yesterday and have scheduled two-late starts today cancelled classes today (Northfield school-closing info here). 

I noticed some people bitching whining thoughtfully discussing this on Facebook yesterday and today. Some comments:


JP: “Why not just call a snow day right off the bat, rather than forcing everyone on the roads twice within four hours?”

HS: “I never understand why "big" schools never close right way but they have no problem closing in the middle of the day. I went to a small school and they always canceled snow early in the day. It was much safer!”

MU: “And how about just a full snow day today instead of making us bring the kids in 2 hours late in the middle of the work day when the roads still are dangerous?”

We don’t know what guides the decisions by Supt. Chris Richardson after he talks to the folks at Benjamin Bus.  But put your supe hat on. How would you go about deciding?

]]> http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/15665/feed/ 15 School-closing decision for a midday snowstorm: ya win some and ya lose some http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/9356/ http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/9356/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:20:36 +0000 Griff Wigley http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/post/9356/ Northfield Schools opted to NOT dismiss school early yesterday when an intense snowstorm began hitting the area at around 11 am.  Northfield News reporter David Henke posted this comment to the discussion thread on the snow emergency article where some folks were complaining: (continued)

 

According to Superintendent Chris Richardson, the district chose

Continue reading School-closing decision for a midday snowstorm: ya win some and ya lose some

]]> IMG_2828Northfield Schools opted to NOT dismiss school early yesterday when an intense snowstorm began hitting the area at around 11 am.  Northfield News reporter David Henke posted this comment to the discussion thread on the snow emergency article where some folks were complaining: (continued)

 

According to Superintendent Chris Richardson, the district chose not to let schools out early because they were afraid they’d be letting students out into the worst of the storm. Waiting it out, Richardson said, seemed like a better option because weather reports stated that snowfall was supposed to drop off and visibility improve later in the day.

I took the photo above at about 2:15 pm and conditions had rapidly improved from an hour earlier. By 3 pm, it was just moderate snow. So I think Richardson made the right call. With the pinpoint accuracy of the weather forecast and the crystal clear radar images that a big storm was about to hit, I think a case could be made that he could’ve canceled school BEFORE the storm hit. But you can never tell when a storm might wimp out at the last minute. And then some parents would be unhappy with that decision.

Tim Freeland at KYMN blogged the closing-related announcements at about 1:20 pm, and it included these school announcements:

  • Randolph Closed
  • Kenyon-Wanamingo Closed
  • Cannon Falls Closed
  • Fairbault Public Schools Closed
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