With winter weather on the way, I wanted to take a minute to explain how I decide whether to delay or cancel school.
The day before a storm, I’m usually keeping an eye on local weather channels, receiving updates from our 1100 amateur weather forecasters in our classrooms, and talking with our transportation supervisor, Mr. Nugent about the potential for a delay or snow day. The next morning, I get up around 4:30am to assess conditions on local weather channels, communicate with superintendents from surrounding districts, and check in again with our transportation supervisor, who stays in contact with the local highway departments and is traveling the roads in our district to gain a first hand assessment.
Once a decision is made, the local news stations are contacted and we use our mass communication system to send an email, phone call and text message, and post on social media.
Why aren’t snow days called the night before?
My goal is always to decide as early as possible. However, it’s very rare for a snow day to be called the night before. This typically only happens if it begins snowing at night and is predicted to last through the morning. The reality is, weather predictions can change. I recognize the amount of schedule-shuffling and accommodations that need to be made for child care and transportation, and these decisions are never made lightly. .
Why do we have snow days if there’s not a lot of snow on the ground in the villages?
The short answer is elevation. Our district is geographically unique in that it encompasses residences of several different elevations and four towns, so while the riverside areas may have less severe weather, in places like the hollows, the roads may be impassable.
How will I know if there’s a delay or closing?
Weather-related school closings and delay notifications will be communicated to families of students by email, text and phone call. Additionally, this information will be communicated on Facebook, Instagram, the district website, WNYT TV-News Channel 13, WRGB TV-CBS 6, WTEN TV-News 10 ABC, WXXA TV-Fox 23, 103.1FM/810AM WGY, 92.3FM WFLY-Fly, 99.5FM WRVE The River, B95.5FM WYJB, the Times Union, and Spectrum News.
Do I have to receive a text, email AND phone call?
Yes. We use our emergency communication system to notify families of a delay or closing. While some families may receive the message via email or text, others in our District don’t have reliable internet at home and need a phone call to receive it.
What is the delay schedule?
In the event of a two-hour delay, breakfast is not served, there is no AM BOCES and dismissal times remain the same.
K-12 on the Coxsackie campus begins at 10:06 am.
Classes at EJA begin at 10:20 am.
How is the rotating letter day impacted if there’s a snow day?
On a snow day, the letter day calendar shifts. For example, if Tuesday is an A Day and we have a snow day, when students return to school on Wednesday, it will NOT be a B Day, it will be an A day. The calendar will be adjusted accordingly.
As always, please stay safe this winter. For questions about weather-related communications, please contact our School Communications Specialist, Tommy Esposito, at 518-731-1710 or [email protected]
Take Care,
Randy Squier
Superintendent of Schools