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MontroseMom and I are debating the viability of living in the woods after this winter (and last one too!). We could use some more data, and I am having a hard time googling for it. I am hoping some of the data-hounds on this site can help.
Is there any easy way to compare weather-based school closings across districts in Westchester? Put bluntly, do some districts consistently have fewer/more school closings over the course of a winter? I wonder if some districts-because of topography, size, policies, investment in snow removal, other factors-deal with broadly similar weather in different ways.
I'd love to get pointed to a chart that showed closings by date and by district but I just can't find it.
Anecdote is helpful, but I've already heard that southern county districts close less. I want the proof.
No idea, but I'll add one more variable... Super Intendent. He/she has the last say as far as I know. And if they change super intendents, which is quite common, the number of closings would change.
No idea, but I'll add one more variable... Super Intendent. He/she has the last say as far as I know. And if they change super intendents, which is quite common, the number of closings would change.
Its not the Super, its the transportation department. In Lakeland (right next to HenHud and the OP) our transport dept has a few people out driving the roadsbetween 3 and 5 am. They try to make the call by 4:30 am for a delay, and later if it needs to change to a cancellation. I am very good freinds with one of the directors who drives and makes the call. The Super of course makes the call, but in 25 years, no super has ever changed the recommendation of the transport people. They make the call.
I don't know about a chart, but areas that are more spread out typically close for snow more than towns that are smaller in area. For example, Dobbs Ferry and maybe some of the other river towns don't close as often as Bedford. Like another poster said, it has to do with transportation, not the superintendent.
For the most part schools are pretty consistent with closings in others districts near them. So Most schools in Mid Westchester all have delays on same days or closings. Same for Putnam, Northern Westchester, Southern Westchester.
So for example-Ossining, Pleasantville, Briarcliff, Chappaqua, Hawthorne, Greenburgh and other surrounding towns usually follow a pretty similar schedule.
And yes I heard that the bus companies have a lot of input into the closings and delays.
What exactly is OP trying to figure out?
Are you going to move to a district that closes schools 2 days fewer?
My guess is that he is trying to gather data.
Being a parent of children in the Lakeland district, I can tell you that many parents in this district are concerned about the valume of delays and closings, and that some decisions made by the school district has resulted in more delays and closings than necessary. We pay a massive amount of tax to our schools to educate our children and we want to maximize those dollars by limiting delays. While closures likewise can be a problem because they impact time away from school for children (like winter and spring recess being reduced due to significant snow closures), the delays are the main concern for many. Losing 3 hours of school five or six times a year results in 2-3 lost days that are never made up because they count as school days for federal purposes. If we can reduce the delays from 3 hours to 1 hour, or eliminate them all together, its a goal worth investigating. We all know we live in the northeastern US, so winters will have snow and winter road conditions, but likewise, we should be better at dealing with snow and winter roads than warmer areas. Gathering data is the first step to seeing if there are solutions that will decrease the number of delayed openings or maybe even reduce closings. If we could convert closing to delays, that would be great too.
You are right. It's frustrating not to get the full value from the school, and I wonder if there is a way to compare across districts to help figure out how to influence how the decisions get made. Given all the data out there in the world, I'm actually surprised that this data isn't aggregated somewhere. And if I were looking to buy a new house in the region, I would find this a valuable set of data.
But also, it would be useful for resolving an argument with my wife. :-)
I'm wondering if it would be worth contacting WFAS radio. They have the Storm Center which has been THE place to go for school closing information since time immemorial. Perhaps, and just perhaps, they have that information compiled somehow. Good luck.
Here is their business number from their website. (914) 693-2400 .
I'm wondering if it would be worth contacting WFAS radio. They have the Storm Center which has been THE place to go for school closing information since time immemorial. Perhaps, and just perhaps, they have that information compiled somehow. Good luck.
Here is their business number from their website. (914) 693-2400 .
If not, you can get it from each school's website, its just more legwork.
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