Area Superintendent explains how local school districts decide to use snow days
The upcoming snowstorms Wednesday has school districts, teachers, and students across the area on alert.
Schools in Fairborn have not closed this year yet, but the superintendent told us he anticipates Wednesday being its first snow day.
News Center 7′s Haley Kosik spoke with Gene Lolli, the Superintendent for Fairborn City Schools regarding how his district decides whether to cancel classes.
“I get out and drive pretty early... three to four in the morning. I will start driving the roads not only inside the city but the interstates see what the highways look like.”
They try to make the call around 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. at the latest, and it’s not always an easy call.
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“Yes, it is a very stressful situation because sometimes... do I? Don’t I? Do I? Don’t I? But the bottom line is I make the call for the safety of our kids and our staff in this district,” says Lolli.
Superintendent Lolli told us he pays attention to ice, the amount of snow, drops in temperatures, wind speeds, and wind chill.
Fairborn has had a two-hour delay this year, and we found a family spending the day playing in the snow.
Nova And Her Sister Maddie have been enjoying the new snow, but they were not aware more snow is on the way.
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Nova was excited to hear the news, and both girls were quick to mention they have not had snow mess up school plans yet.
Madelaine said, “Ya know... I don’t particularly like school so I’m like super excited, I love snow days.”
Nova told us she plans to spend the day building her first snowman of the year and naming it “Frosty.”
Her mother, Mishala Nichols, understandably only like snow days if she gets the day off too. She said, “Because that gives us time to sit, watch Disney movies, and an excuse to do literally nothing... however if we have to work, it causes problems.”
Fairborn City Schools try to give families a heads-up before severe weather hits. Lolli says, “We try to make those decisions as quickly as we can to let parents and staff know because, in today’s age, both sets of parents work. It’s easier for them to make daycare arrangements, so we can notify ahead of time.”
