Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
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Bad Weather
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Author:  Carrie Barlowe [ Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Bad Weather

After having bad weather over the past few weeks I have been thinking about schools policies on this issue. I know many school systems have a rule that as long as the buses run, then the day counts. Meaning that as long as buses can get out and pick up a few kids, only for school to close an hour or two later, then that day counts as one of the 180 days. However, does this not robe the teachers and students of a day?
I want to know, is it better to call off a day of school, or try to run the buses to make the day count?

Author:  zach yokley [ Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:39 am ]
Post subject:  Wasted Time

You bring up a good point, but, per my experience with high school, I know that a lot of time was wasted so a short day doesn't seem like a big deal in the big scheme of things. However, I do know that time is getting short in the semester and many teachers are trying to cram in the things that students need for EOGs so the whole question of whether the day was worth it or not depends on timing.

Author:  Anna Gay [ Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:46 pm ]
Post subject: 

I also think this is a good point. Watauga county schools have already missed several days of school this semester. I think that the timing is also important. In dealing with high school, I think these days are hard, because of the fact that students change classes. If students only come in for 2 or even 3 hours, you can't make it to every class, or if you do, you are only there for 20 minutes or so...long enough for the teacher to gain your attention for 5 minutes and tell you what you need to do for the next class. Tough! it would be better to make up the day later to get in extra time for material. Elementary schools might be a little more possible to still get things in in a few hours.

Author:  Kimberly Smith [ Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:03 pm ]
Post subject: 

I feel like the weather issues that Watauga High School deal with could be less of a problem if there was another high school in the county. The way they do it now depends on the whole county, and we all know that the whole county doesn't get the same amount of snow. But then again...building a new school is a completely different subject. :D

Author:  Kristen Bumgarner [ Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:57 pm ]
Post subject: 

I still feel that by having a short day that it's better than nothing at all. This may give the students a bit more homework to make up the day but as a former student affected by this, I loved short days because I got to sleep in, the day still counted, and I was more interested in my classes because they were shorter. As a future teacher, I still think that even if the day is shorter, I may give the class a little more homework to make up for lost time, but I can still manage.

Author:  Brynne Pulver [ Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:09 am ]
Post subject:  Bad Weather

I think that it really depends on the safety of the students. If safety isn't the issue, I think that a short day is absolutely worth while. You can at least get through some material or a music rehearsal in my case. If the buses shouldn't be running, then they don't need to be trying to take students anywhere. Even here at ASU, if the AppalCart can run, then school usually is open. However, when it was really bad a few weeks ago, no one called off school or at least enough of the morning for school, and I know several people who were on those buses and sliding everywhere. So, if it has to do with safety, I always say take the precautions necessary first regardless of whether or not a school day is missed.

Author:  Maria Parker [ Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:32 am ]
Post subject: 

I agree that it all depends on the safety of the students. If it is safe enough to come to school for an hour and then it happens to be called off, then I do not feel like it was a waste, safety always need to be considered first. I can see some teachers becoming frustrated with cancelled classes and such. For a music teacher, it gets very nerve racking when rehearsals are taken away when a concert is approaching quickly. The same goes for a teacher who is approaching end of course or end of grade tests.

Author:  Aaron Jones [ Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:42 pm ]
Post subject: 

I think that is a great question Carrie. I really don't think that most school districts around here are guilty very often for running buses in unsafe conditions. Usually school is called of or at least delayed for even the slightest amount of snow or sleet. However, I do think that there have been times when they have made bad decisions in regards to weather. This is usually the case around the end of February, when there aren't many more snow days on the calander or class has been canceled for weather a great deal already in the school year. But overall I think that administrators do a good job in calling the weather. The safety of the students comes first, but the students have to be in class to learn and that can't happen ic school is canceled.

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