Snow day. Metro Creative Images.
Students in Richardson ISD are doing the happy dance today since district officials canceled school Thursday and Friday ahead of impending sleet and snow. Most parents praised the district’s decision to keep kids home safe and especially applauded their early decision making. Closures were announced Wednesday afternoon, long before bad weather began.
A small number of parents, though, took to social media to express frustration, especially those without carers for young children. A few questioned the action, especially in the hours before precipitation began to fall.
Lake Highlands neighbor Michele Zupa serves as principal at Richardson Terrace Elementary. She shared some background regarding the district’s decisions to close — or not close — school.
For those who are interested, here are some interesting things I have learned about considerations regarding school closing in inclement weather specifically for RISD. This is meant to be informative and not controversial.
* RISD does not delay the start of school or close school early. RISD must stagger start times to provide bus service to elementary, junior high, and high school. There are not enough buses in the fleet for all three levels to start or end simultaneously.
* Students, especially elementary students, cannot be sent home early (by bus or as walkers) because they may not be able to get into their homes or there may not be anyone at home to receive them. Administrators and staff end up staying with the last students picked up which essentially means they are there for the regular school day and nothing was gained, safety-wise, by closing early. Obviously, many parents choose to pick up their students early or keep students home during inclement weather, but closing early does not reduce safety concerns for staff.
* While the majority of RISD students attend school at their neighborhood school, there are magnet schools in RISD which means students travel throughout the district to get to school. While it might be safe to drive or walk in one neighborhood, it may not be safe in another.
* RISD spans three cities — Dallas, Richardson, and Garland. Road conditions vary greatly throughout the district and decisions are made for the district at large, not for one neighborhood or area.
* While students most often live in the neighborhood where they attend school, the majority of school staff does not live in that neighborhood. Schools cannot operate without adults in the building and adults live all over the Metroplex. RISD employees drive from Melissa, Allen, Plano, Greenville, Heath, Mesquite, Arlington, Sachse, Wylie, Lewisville, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, Ferris, Ennis, and so many more areas and cities. They must be able to safely travel to and from work.
* Buses transport thousands of students each day and hundreds of high school students drive themselves to school. Buses full of children and cars full of new drivers on icy streets are not ideal.
* Many students walk to school and do not have appropriate clothing to be outside for extended periods of time in freezing conditions.
* In the past, decisions about school closures were made very late at night or early in the morning. This did not allow parents adequate time to make plans for their children. (Superintendent Tabitha) Branum has changed this and now makes the call as early as possible to allow everyone as much time as possible to make appropriate plans.
