In the neighborhoods I’ve lived in around Chicago, we all race to have the sidewalks shoveled before kids need to walk to school. It’s also common to shovel for each other, for all kinds of reasons.
I grew up going to Fairhill! In 2nd grade, school was closed for 2 weeks due to a snowstorm and we had to go into summer break without air conditioning to make up the lost instructional time! This looks like my old neighborhood, Stonehurst!
I am thankfully past the age where this impacts my kids directly, which gives me the potential to be an EVEN grumpier old man. But could not agree more that when SBUX is open and schools are closed, society makes clear what is essential.
Solid take on this. The Starbucks comparison really captures the tension here - infrastructure decisions in private sector move fast becuase downtime costs money, while schools default to risk-aversion mode. I've noticed this same pattern in my area where big box stores have pristine parking lots hours after a storm while bus routes stay impassable for days.
All district administrators should do a one-year internship in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, or the UP of Michigan to learn how to deal with winter. We will close schools when temperatures reach -20 degrees because young children at bus stops are at risk of frostbite. Snow is usually a one-day school closure because the roads are cleared promptly. Three snow days are built into the school calendar. Extra days are added at the end of the year if needed.
From NYC, a remote day, bitter cold and snow meant kids staying home, my grandkids logged on, the high schooler had review lessons, the 3rd grader activities all day, Tuesday, in spite of single digit weather back to school, attendance much lower, maybe we need more Socialist Mayors. 🫠
In the neighborhoods I’ve lived in around Chicago, we all race to have the sidewalks shoveled before kids need to walk to school. It’s also common to shovel for each other, for all kinds of reasons.
I grew up going to Fairhill! In 2nd grade, school was closed for 2 weeks due to a snowstorm and we had to go into summer break without air conditioning to make up the lost instructional time! This looks like my old neighborhood, Stonehurst!
I am thankfully past the age where this impacts my kids directly, which gives me the potential to be an EVEN grumpier old man. But could not agree more that when SBUX is open and schools are closed, society makes clear what is essential.
Solid take on this. The Starbucks comparison really captures the tension here - infrastructure decisions in private sector move fast becuase downtime costs money, while schools default to risk-aversion mode. I've noticed this same pattern in my area where big box stores have pristine parking lots hours after a storm while bus routes stay impassable for days.
All district administrators should do a one-year internship in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, or the UP of Michigan to learn how to deal with winter. We will close schools when temperatures reach -20 degrees because young children at bus stops are at risk of frostbite. Snow is usually a one-day school closure because the roads are cleared promptly. Three snow days are built into the school calendar. Extra days are added at the end of the year if needed.
From NYC, a remote day, bitter cold and snow meant kids staying home, my grandkids logged on, the high schooler had review lessons, the 3rd grader activities all day, Tuesday, in spite of single digit weather back to school, attendance much lower, maybe we need more Socialist Mayors. 🫠
All of this!