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The student news site of Atlantic High School

AHSneedle

The student news site of Atlantic High School

AHSneedle

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Two-Hour Delays and Snow Days

Two-Hour+Delays+and+Snow+Days

by Karly Monson

Waking up to a text message announcing a two-hour delay or no school normally makes an AHS student’s day, especially the seniors since they do not have to make up the days unless the amount exceeds 10.  But some students do not know the process the school district uses to decide if inclement weather coming in deserves a two-hour delay or even a snow day.

When contemplating on calling school off or not, superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein will contact other local superintendents to see what their plans are for going out and checking the weather.  He is also out and about around 4:30 in the morning with district transportation director Dave Eckles checking the roads.

Based on what the weather is doing and continually checking with other superintendents, Amstein will make a decision on the school schedule.  “I like to make the decision no later than 5:15 a.m. in order to allow enough time to get any school schedule announcements done prior to buses going out or food service staff starting to come in,” said Amstein.

Once the decision has been made to alter the school schedule or close school, Amstein will text all of Atlantic School District building administrators and supervisors to make them aware of the decision. He will also notify the local radio and television stations.  The announcement will also be on the district’s webpage.  Amstein contacts the district technology coordinator Roger Warne to send out a text and email message through SchoolReach, which is the district’s notification system to let parents, students, and staff know the school scheduling changes or a cancellation of school.

Throughout the winter months, students at AHS do not always know the standards on what is needed so the day can be counted as a full school day.  Freshman Nick Joyce said he thought if the buses go out and deliver kids to school but school is called off right after the buses return to the bus barn, it counts as a full school day.  Amstein proved that rumor wrong, though, by explaining that the state does not provide guidelines for closing school but gives the authority to school superintendents who have first-hand information regarding weather conditions, so they do not go by waiting until lunch is over or having the buses back at the bus barn to decide when school should be called.

On early dismissal days, it is almost impossible to do a two-hour delay schedule along with the early dismissal because we would not get to school until 10:00 and then would be dismissed at 1:50.  Days like this when weather is bad, the ACSD has no choice but to close school for the day.

Living in Iowa, weather is often unpredictable, and we do not know when waking up if we will see the sun shining or snow piled high on the streets.  No matter what the weather is though, Amstein makes the decision to delay or cancel school based on the current weather and road conditions, discussions with other superintendents, and most importantly, student and employee safety.

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