Wait for it, wait for it, yep... closed again

If someone had told me that in the 3rd quarter we would be out a record 9 days (traditional schools, year round lost 2 additional Saturday make ups) I would have slapped yo' face and told you to go home.
Guess what?

I'm at home again for another snow day.

Overnight the hovering right at 32 degree rain froze over and what was a 3 hour delay became a full on you are closed.  I'm all for safety, especially since people in the South cannot drive in winter weather, but this is just crazy.town.  Yet me yell that, CRAZY.TOWN.

Last night when all surrounding schools called for a 3 hour delay around 9 pm it was like a bad Oprah episode of, "and YOU get a delay, and YOU get a delay, and YOU get a delay!" Sadly, most of us knew that there would be no 3 hour delay and school would eventually be cancelled.

At my school we were to be giving the ACT today.  This is was a make up from the last attempt when guess what, we had a snow day!  At this point the only released make up day is over spring break on get this, April Fools Day!  As the ACT is required by State law to be taken by all high school Juniors, as it it counts towards school composite scores and teacher evaluations, I really don't know what will happen.

So are there some silver linings in yet another day at Camp Mommy- the extended home edition?

1.  Ian's daycare has remained open for at least of most of the nine days.  Yes there have been early closings, delayed openings, and a couple of days outright closed, BUT the director decided to stay open for President's Day giving back one of the closed days.  Thank you Ms. Pam and Ms. Amy, no really THANK YOU for being a voice of reason for working parents.  And yes, I AM one of those parents who takes their kids to day care when it is open, even if I am at home.  I love my kids, but I also love getting something done in a semi-quiet house.

2. My Principal decided to allow us for the first time ever to use time we worked at Spring open house, the rising freshman curriculum night, and AP Night.  Originally he like in years past said that these required hours that normally run 5-8 during third quarter are just part of our daily job, but given that we have 72, yes 72 hours to make up of missed instructional time he allowed it.  A major misconception is that snow days are free days for teachers, nope.

If you can come in and your Principal opens your school you can trade off time towards time being missed. Every hour of lost instructional time has to be accounted for for payroll purposes.  Luckily, he opened school most days for at least part of the day so we've packed snacks, video games, ipads, and trucked it in.  He's also opened the school on Saturdays to also allow teachers to make up time and not have to take unpaid time.  Sadly no time working outside school grounds can be counted so no working in pjs!

3. Ben is easier to have at school than Ian.  Hands down.  He loves talking to the retired military guy that I share my classroom with this year.  A real, live solider who has shot a gun.  Ben was all-in.

4.  I have an amazing student teacher who is flexible, has seen all her planning to be dumped for more planning only for yet another day at home.  She gave up drinking for lent and I just laughed.  My attempt to give up cursing lasted I think a couple of days.

5.  The kids who are taking the AP Exam on May 13th for the most part will commit to making up work on their own if I give them a modified plan for review.  While I didn't have the numbers taking the test I wanted, the ones that are are motivated.

6.   This school year is almost 75% finished.  If you have any knowledge of what has transpired this year in NC public education I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am running full steam to finish up this year.

Here's to a school like no other.