Day 92: Early Dismissal

I awoke to an inch or so of powdery snow blanketing my car, the street, the yard, and the sidewalks.  It looked quite peaceful.  I was very happy to see on the news ticker that my school district did NOT have a delay, NOR did it have a snow day!  Yes!  The storm that was supposed to dump several inches on the area overnight before a second storm front arrives had been merciful; we caught the edge of the front (hence the inch or so of snow when I awoke). 

I went to school, began my day, and began feeling optimistic about the remaining part of the day.  (The minor flurries stopped around 9:15.)  My class is just about caught back up (minus a day's work) and we were cruising along.  We did Daily Edit, reviewed singular and plural possessive nouns, practiced how to write a comparison response question, reviewed inferences, read, and began centers.  Life was looking good.

And then...

"Teachers, please check your e-mails for an important announcement.  Thank you," blared over the P.A. system around 10:40.  I knew instantly what it was: early dismissal notice.

We were dismissed an hour early today to allow buses enough time to make their routes safely.  So beginning at 2:40, children were leaving the building in droves.  I left the building after checking the radar online so I would have an idea of how to proceed for tomorrow.  (FYI:  It's looking like a delay or possible snow day.)  I wrote my morning work on the board, sprayed my desks and other surfaces with Lysol, and walked out into a sleet/rain/snow mixture.  (Wet. Heavy. Precipitation. SO not like the powder I woke up to this morning.) 

In the near two-plus-change hours I have been home, the precipitation has gone from sleet to light rain back to sleet.  Actually, a quick peek out the window just now has revealed that the sleet has given way to giant snowflakes (or snowpuffs?  They look like shredded cotton balls).  We are supposed to get snow throughout the evening, stopping around 1 a.m.

While I don't like the idea of a delay, I really don't like the idea of another snow day.  I know districts do make-up days differently.  My current district takes days off of breaks already on the calendar, like Easter/Spring break.  My old district added them onto the end of the school year, up to a limit.  Our first snow day will be made up in March.  No days off that month, not even an inservice.  If we have a snow day tomorrow, that day will more than likely be made up during our Easter/Spring break (which, at this moment consists of the Thursday before Easter through that following Monday.  Aside from Winter break, it's our longest of the year.)  It will be interesting to see what happens.

I'd rather have a delay--if anything--and use that time to finish up report cards. (You remember my issues with those on an earlier post.)

*Sigh.* I guess we'll find out in the pre-dawn hours.