New superintendent wants to leave snow day decisions to parents

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By Megan Gildow, Staff Writer Updated 2:00 PM Monday, February 8, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — With a new superintendent calling the shots, the Springfield City Schools district is taking a new approach to snow days this school year.

School will still be canceled on extremely inclement days — like Friday, Feb. 5, when Superintendent David Estrop dismissed schools early due to heavy snow. But on days when there is snow that is not severe, school may be in session.

But is severe in the eye of the beholder?

“Level 2 or Level 3, we won’t be doing business at those levels,” Estrop said. But other days, “I trust parents to make the best call for their kids. They know what the situation is in their home, they know what the situation is in their neighborhood and on their street.”

Some parents are unhappy with Estrop’s position, he said, but there are also families in Springfield who depend on the schools.

“Some of the children will likely have to be left at home by themselves because they don’t have access or can’t afford day care on short notice,” Estrop said. “For other parents, it may mean making a choice between going to work or staying at home with their kids and having an angry boss.

“I want to be a school, an institution that the parents know they can count on, that we’ll be here as often as we can. We may not be able to be there all the time, but we will be able to be there as often as we can.”

Snow days — also called calamity days — can cost the taxpayers, too, because staff are still paid, he said.

“The people expect us, and they’re paying for us, to have school,” said Estrop. “We will try to have school as often as we can, depending on the weather. It seems to me that the people of Springfield shouldn’t be really happy for paying us for taking off work.”

Residents can help students by clearing their sidewalks to make the trek to school safer on snowy days, he said.

Once a district passes the allotted calamity days in a school year — five this year but reduced to three beginning next school year, according to state law — students and staff are required to add days onto the calendar to make it up. Those days cost the district additional dollars for salaries and operations.

But Springfield also will take steps to make sure its policy of giving parents the option to make their own decision about keeping their kids home during inclement weather when the schools are open isn’t abused.

“That is a concern and when we have our new Alert Now system operating, which should be within two weeks, on a day when the weather is questionable, I will be calling saying either we’re closing or we will remain open but it’s a no-penalty day,” he said.

“No penalty days” would not count against students for attendance if their parents call the school to alert the staff that the student will be staying home because of the weather. While the plan gives parents options, Estrop acknowledges that some won’t like it.

“I’ve received a few phone calls because some parents want to impose their standards on everyone, and for some they see it as a vacation day for the children,” he said. “I am certainly happy to let every individual parent make the decision for themselves.”

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