Sledding and School Delays: Parents Navigate Unexpected Snow Day Challenges
Children’s laughter echoed through Plumas Park as they sped down snowy hills on sleds, enjoying a spontaneous day off from school on February 19. The Washoe County School District had initially announced a two-hour delay at 5 a.m. due to road conditions and heavy snowfall, prompting some parents to keep their children at home despite the decision to hold classes.
Among those opting for a family snow day was Jess Brown, who decided against sending his fifth grader to Mount Rose K-8 School of Languages. Instead, the Browns embraced the snowy opportunity and joined other families at the park.
Brown, who begins work later in the day to accommodate school drop-offs, noted the challenges early morning announcements bring to his colleagues. “A bunch of my co-workers do start earlier, and they’re always scrambling. A friend with three young children would have to call in and stay home with her kids. That’s definitely not enough time for her to set up a sitter or whatever she needs to provide coverage,” he explained.
Typically, families receive notifications from the district around 5 a.m. regarding school cancellations or delays. Adam Searcy, Chief Operating Officer for the district, emphasized the need to weigh safety against maintaining instructional time. He acknowledged the difficulty in making predictions the night before, stating, “Weather can behave unpredictably, and so we often hesitate to make a decision at 5 p.m. for the next day, knowing that at 4 a.m. conditions might be different than what is predicted.”
For some, like Stellar Lufrano, the two-hour delay was beneficial. It allowed her additional time to work from home before sending her sixth grader, Marius, off to school via bus. However, Marius experienced a prolonged commute due to the snow, recounting, “I got stuck at Plumb and Arlington at the light for like 10 minutes. So the drive took like 30 minutes and I was late.”
Back at Mount Rose, third grade teacher Cori Zancanella was pleased to reunite with her students but expressed concerns about the day’s weather conditions. “We were a little concerned about how we were going to get the kids home, and how teachers ourselves are going to get home with it having snowed all day long,” she said. As a result, Zancanella and other staff members stayed late to ensure students safely departed.
Zancanella recognized the stress such situations impose on families lacking flexible childcare options. “I think it’s stressful for parents that don’t have other childcare, and a lot of workplaces aren’t very flexible with caring for children,” she noted.
Learning from the experience, the district preemptively announced a two-hour delay for February 20 at 6:23 p.m. the previous evening.
