yay! snow day for me

I'll ask this once again. Where is all this Global Warming that Al Gore promised me? We've been at least 20 degrees below normal since Nov 6th. I'm tired of being cold!!

I have to say, DC public school kids are tough. They only had a two-hour delay today. (Or maybe other DC people are just wimpy; the weather/roads really weren't that bad.)

On a side note, I have a friend who works in a low-income school district and she said they avoid canceling school as much as humanly possible because so many of the kids get free lunches from the schools, so they need to come in so they can eat. So, that could play into the fact that D.C. public schools were still open, albeit late.

It snowed here in MS Saturday night and was all melted by Sunday afternoon. A bunch of neighborhood kids had a blast playing in it, but no snow day for them.

I know what you mean Dave. We haven't been 20 below normal, but I'm tired of being cold too.

Anybody know if South Carolina got snow? I was there last week. Sure is pretty there.

We finally got to use the snow blower (a small one) to clear most of the driveway. Then the power went out and we had to finish with shovels. But my office closed so I got an unexpected snow day. It's beautiful here when it snows.

likimbo I think a lot of the schools systems closed because of the side streets. Some of the kids have to walk and a lot of the sidewalks have not been touched.

Right, I was more wondering why D.C. public schools had a two-hour delay rather than closing.

A lot of the districts that closed have more kids who ride the bus/drive to school, as well.

And I guess I am just used to NE Ohio weather. I have seen roads and sidewalks a lot worse and we still always had school!

DC has always been more likely to open. I remember 3 hour delays when I was kid. But your friend is right. Some of the students relay on the breakfast and lunches provided at school.

What do those poor kids do in the summer (summer school?), and on holidays?

Some parts of SC got snow. The upstate did. We haven't seen one flake here though. And they promised! I just knew I'd get a snow day.

Interesting. Thanks, lili. Yeah, my friend teaches in Harrisburg, PA and she said they pretty much never close there, partially for that reason. I figured it might be the same for D.C., but this is only my second winter here, so I didn't really know.

Hunh. 72 here today.

"What do those poor kids do in the summer (summer school?), and on holidays?"

There used to be summer programs that would offer lunches for the kids. I don't know if many of those are still in place. I remember teachers and administrators providing food baskets to certain families during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. DC also had and may still have the summer jobs program. A lot of high school students would work and receive a paycheck over the summer.

I know where my friend teaches they still have a summer program of sorts, as well, but it's definitely scaled back.

They really try to make their holiday breaks as short as possible, as far as I know.

Many people wonder why Marion Barry remains so popular in DC. A lot of people remember that he started the summer jobs program for youths in 1980 or maybe a couple of years before. Thousands of teenagers have worked because of that program.

My friend is a teacher in inner city Philly, and she has found that food is the best motivator for good behavior and grades. She put in place this program where if the kids compliment each other (instead calling each other hoes and skanks) they get a marble in the compliment jar. When the jar is full she brings in doughnuts for all the kids. Its sad, most of the kids don't eat breakfast and then have the school lunch.

The school system I sub for offers breakfast and lunch. The family incomes are diverse (Section 8 to McMansions). But, I've found that treats tend to work for all kids. Treats and Stickers for the little ones.

Mayor Fenty said that DC is not very likely to close because of the number of children who depend on the school for some sort of support--be it food or whatever.

On a side note, I love the wimpy south No work for me!