“Due to the forecasted weather conditions for tomorrow morning, the district is considering a two-hour delayed opening for Thursday, February 6…”
Last year, we wrote an article about NHP’s well deserved Snow Day on February 13, 2024. Unfortunately, this year, we cannot do the same. Though many were hoping for, at the very least, a delayed opening on that Thursday, students and parents did not receive a call at 5:45AM.
Because there was no delayed opening, both students and teachers at NHP faced numerous challenges. For one, there were concerns about the safety of the roads as we made our way to school. Many NHP students walk to school because their parents are at work or do not have a car available. That day, the walk was a challenge. From sheets of black ice covering the roads to piles of unshoveled snow, every step was an obstacle.
This issue affects not only kids walking but also those who take the bus. Snow and ice create slippery surfaces, making it difficult for buses to stop or maintain control. This problem is made worse by the fact that buses are much larger than typical HOV vehicles. With their greater mass, buses are more prone to losing traction, which increases the risk of accidents.
These challenges resulted in a significant number of NHP students arriving late that day. In addition to the hazardous walking conditions and bus delays, many students found themselves spending time helping their parents shovel snow that morning. Snow accumulated in both students’ and teachers’ driveways, requiring considerable effort to clear so that cars could be safely driven out. Moreover, parents have to constantly juggle driving their children to school everyday and driving themselves to work. The snow only pushes more juggling clubs into their already full hands, and forces them to choose between their occupation and their child’s education.
While it may be assumed that students merely assist their parents with shoveling, the reality for some is that they shovel everything themselves. Many parents, particularly those in their late 50s to 60s, are physically unable to handle the strenuous task of snow removal, leaving students to shoulder the responsibility of clearing the entire driveway on their own. This task can take up a large amount of time in the morning, which can significantly delay a student’s ability to get to school on time. As a result, many students will be marked tardy, despite the fact that the delay was beyond their control.
It is not only students that are affected by the snow. Faculty have to travel upwards of over an hour to get to school as many of them do not reside in New Hyde Park. Moreover, many staff members come to school before classes start. Security guards on shift have to begin work at 7AM, and teachers who host extra help classes in the morning or teach zero period classes are in school an hour prior to the first period bell. As a result, many staff members have to wake up at absurdly early hours to shovel their driveways and begin the long journey to school. We do not believe it is reasonable to expect staff to start their day at the crack of dawn (or perhaps earlier) so they could get to NHP on time.
The challenges faced that morning resulted in a number of issues, making a delayed opening or snow day a much-needed relief from the administration. Although it may be too late for a snow day this year, we hope the Sewanhaka Central administration will consider this article as they plan for next year’s Winter Wonderland.
