District Administrator's Corner

by Loren Glasbrenner,  River Valley School District Administrator  Possibly… maybe… most likely… there are anticipated snowstorms coming our way.  There will be accumulations of… 1 to 78 inches of snow!  How could a meteorologist be wrong with estimations like that!?   As I get older, I start to watch the news for the weather.  Skip the sports—skip the global news—what is the forecast?   Snow days are inevitable in Wisconsin.  As a matter of fact, they are a highly anticipated event. As the River Valley School District creates the annual calendar, there is a legal consideration to minutes of instruction.  “Each school district board shall annually schedule and hold at least 437 hours of direct pupil instruction in kindergarten, at least 1,050 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 1 through 6, and at least 1,137 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 7 through 12. The school hours are computed as the period from the start to the close of the school’s daily instructional schedule.” (https://dpi.wi.gov/cal/days-hours) The River Valley School District has set steps for notifying families of weather emergencies.  And, as the district administrator, I will be a part of this teamwork in the wee morning hours for ta 2. Lamers Bus Lines is included in our initial investigation of the roads.  Lamers calls drivers to check their conditions. 3. Local radar is used in conjunction with the National Weather Service. 4. Phone calls are made to administrators in town, near Lone Rock, in rural Spring Green, north of Plain, and near Plain. 5. A decision is made and our communication plan is implemented. 6. If school is delayed or canceled, our phone chain alerts the administrative team, transportation team, and private schools. 7. Channels WKOW-TV(27), WISC-TV(3), and WMTV(15) are notified. 8. Radio stations in Madison, Platteville, Lancaster, Sauk City, Richland Center, Reedsburg, and Dodgeville are notified. 9. Skylert messages and social media posts are drafted and sent. 10. Teaching, support, custodial, and kitchen staff are given notice. 11. School delays or closings are decided before 6:30 AM (RVSD Policy 722).  And then we wait.  We wait to see if the forecast is close to correct.  We wait to see if the roads will be as poor as we anticipated.  We wait to see if “better safe than sorry” was the right call.  (I will always try to make the decision based on what is best for the students.)  Nostalgically, I envision the accumulating snow creating an opportunity for families to shut the Chromebook/laptop, to grab a sled, and to find a safe place to enjoy a breath of fresh Wisconsin winter air. When I meet with students, I often comment, “If there is a snow day, I had better hear that you went outside to enjoy it!”  So, if it happens (when it happens) please be safe and have fun!