Hey D-Lets put a spin on twas the night before X-mas with current issus on this blog. I will try to come up with something.

I understand why the district watched the weather play out until 11pm before calling off school. How many times have we been told we were facing the storm of the century only to have it brush past us and drop a few inches at most?

It was nice to see an announcement here the night before though. I knew exactly what to expect before I went to bed that night. Sure, they won't always be able to make the call the night before, but I appreciate that they will do it when possible.

The 5am phone call did scare the daylights out of me at first. If my phone rings at that time of day, it's usually because there's a serious emergency. When I heard the school district recording, I wasn't angry though. If I had gone to bed before 11pm, I would've had no clue that school was officially canceled and that phone call would've been very helpful in planning my day.

If I had to choose between an AlertNow call at 11pm the night before, and that 5am call, I'd pick the early morning call every time. At 11pm, you'll wake up my entire household and they'll have a devil of a time settling back in for the night. If the phone wakes us up early in the morning, I guess we'll just get up early. No major harm there.

Gamma Ray Emitting Locusts call unusual for Janesville Schools.

I said it once but - at my sons back to school meet and greet with the teachers we were told if we got a call it would be around 6 and that they would not call before 5:45. That would have been fine. But for those of us who had a brain and a window to look out we knew it was going to be canceled. I was up in till 11 anyways so I say that they had canceled so none of us had to get up anyways, but I was woke up just after 5 to tell me I didn't have to get up.

zoom- read that sentence again, focus on the last part and try again.

This is the perfect example of if you want to complain about something you can find it.
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This is a non-issue.
All the people who signed up for the phone call need to shut-up! When did you think that call would happen? noon? You would probably complain about that too.
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Look at this town...we don't want our children to hear the president speak, we don't want the district to call us early when school is canceled and we don't like our school providing breakfast to hungry children.
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It does not make sense to me. Too early, too late...blah, blah, blah.
run for office, city council, school board, something. I triple dog dare you!

WAIT, a public school district alerting me that school is canceled...
SOCIALISM
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I dont want the government calling me...what an intrusion, who is paying for this, SOCIALISM.
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Isn't this how it all started in the USSR? Another government program telling me what to do...

You don't need to be a meteorologist to realize there's no way school was happening with a storm like that. It's a no brainer. Regardless when the phone call came, it was a given. I had arrangements made the night before knowing very well before hearing it first, it would be closed. Common sense. Plan ahead. The phone system works great.

I put this same comment on the Peck blog, but I think it is relevant here as well:
Isn't it possible that some people appreciated the 5 am call because they were already ASLEEP by 11 pm and didn't get to check it before bed? And as someone stated before, it may take some people/teachers/students longer than an hour just to dig out in the morning. Often, the school district has waited until 6 am to make ANY kind of announcement on school closing. How can you be digging out at 6 am in a blizzard AND be in the house at the same time to get a phone call or wait for the TV/radio to get around to Janesville or sit and hit the refresh button on the internet? I would think this system would be beneficial to single teachers who have no one to "alert" them when they are outisde to get themselves back in, or it could be handly for children of single parents who might be waking up ALONE is a household and is responsible for clearning out the mess, getting ready for school alone, etc. To me, any notification of this kind can hardly be considered rude.

- routegirl and chenelllou,
There are two automatic snow days built into the calendar now. If we have another snow day before the end of 1st semester the end of semester work day (Jan 23rd I THINK don't have it in front of me) becomes a school day. If we have another one or after that day but before Spring break, there is a day around spring break worked into the schedule, or maybe its the day after school get out. I don't have the specifics infront of me.
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The point is you don't want them built in, because then if you don't have snow days, you end up with 2 or 3 extra days of school. The school district and the JEA did work out planned make up days a head of time, but the first one is "free" and doesn't need to be made up to meet DPI standard.

As far as the 5 am call...we need that since kids ride the bus which picks them up at around 6:30. Not everyone can wait till 6:30 or 7 to know that their plans for the day have to change.

What a bunch of whiners. I appreciated the calls - especially the one yesterday morning with the one hour delay - I would never have even thought to check the tv or radio yesterday morning and would have sent my kids to school at the regular time. As far as the 5:00 call on Wednesday - I liked that too so I didn't have to turn the TV/Radio on to wait for God knows how long before Janesville was listed. A quick call did it all and I got to go right back to sleep without a worry.

Full blown Cyanide Atmosphere Contamination was unusual call for Janesville Schools

Global Tsunami was unusual call for Janesville Schools

It is good that the decision was made the night before since I knew before going to bed. But, the 5am phone call was TOO EARLY. I knew from the night before and my first thought that early is that someone died. If you need to know that early, you can check the radio, TV or internet.
Maybe they could set up the system into groups for call times, 5am, 6am, 7am? I also never thought signing up for the calls would mean 5am!

"It doesn't matter to me if the school cancels or not. I happen to be the one who decides that my children are not going to school that day."

You can't send your child to school when it's closed, so yes, it does matter if they cancel school.

It doesn't matter to me if the school cancels or not. I happen to be the one who decides that my children are not going to school that day.

Funny, they call that early. Janesville was like the last school district to cancel school. Even the government was shut down before Janesville schools. Just shows how intelligent the administrators are. I just wonder when they are gonna add more snow days into the schedule. We live in Wisconsin....and for the past two years there have been issues with snowdays.

2007
oops, excused
2008
snow and bitter cold, in Wisconsin? You have to be kidding...now what do we do we used up and surpassed the snowdays...
2009
First significant snow fall, 12". I can see the District Office in chaos...omg omg what do we do..Call the White House? Oh yeah that's a good idea....well Gov. Doyle clased all state offices, UW System, and classes were cancelled at 143 schools...lets wait until morning and see how it goes....mmmm I think we should call Superman...he'll know how to handle this.

Yes, I'm spoofing the administration.

It's ridiculous that they have some of the days off they do and they can't build into the calendar a MINIMUM 3 snow days? If school hadn't been cancelled, my kid would have absent.

Yes some people want it earlier. I guess maybe they should have had a time sign up for when you wanted the call. I can not imagine that it would be that hard to have 2 different times.
And if you are a teacher wouldnt you check the night before? Just asking.

i find it funny that we live in wisconsin and the schools only have ONE snow day r u for real?? that cracks me up.

Put a DVD in & go back to bed!!!!! You just can't make all the people happy~all the time!

I appreciated the 5 am call! As a teacher, I have spent too many mornings digging my way out at 5 am so I can get back in the house, shower up, and make it to school on time in case we DO have students coming! This time, I got the call a few minutes before I'd be heading out the door to start digging. It was so frustrating to shovel for an hour or two, and then go back inside to find out school was cancelled at 6 am, and I didn't need to be out there in the dark and in the storm. I have had many, many students/parents tell me the same story as mine over the last two years, in particular. Thanks, Dr. Schulte!!!! I hope you keep the early cancellation calls in place!

Karen, I'm a grandma of two in 4k and first grade. After raising three children through many snow storms, I know how difficult this call had to be. I merely watched the sites and Clinton didn't post until later that night also. You did a great job and no matter which side of the issue you would be on, there will be people not happy. I had a dental appointment that day and I truly did not know at 10:00 the night before (as you were pondering whether to make the call) if I would be trekking 40 minutes to the dentist the next morning, because just as you said, many times the storm does not end up being as bad as they thought. Good job...

I agree Alyssas71! Since it was posted on the news the night before, I had no reason to wake up that early!! Today it was at least after 6am when the call went out that there was a 1 hr. delay...but again...it was on the news.

Its called kickbacks for every day she calls off school it affects her yearly bonus
B

I think the phone call procedure needs to be looked at. I am not sure that I was aware when I signed up for the service, that I would be called at 5:10am to tell me my child did not have school. I like most everyone else, already decided they wouldnt be going to school regardless if it was cancelled. In years past, I have been very successful in learning that my child did not have school by turning on the T.V. or looking online. But I guess the phone call at least allowed me with additional quality time with my child since the call woke them up. Shouldnt the phone system be used for emergencies only?

Why did Janesville wait till long after other districts and after Gov. Doyle called for a state emergency? One day off from school is not worth the hassle and safety of students and parents. Get on the ball! Its hard for parents to make childcare arrangements and travel plans at 5:30 a.m. How about making the call by 10p.m. the night before. If parents miss or are late to their jobs due to the inconvienence they just can't go get another job in today's economy. Some employers have zero tollerance for attendance. Other school districts have no problem making a decision.

Karen, I for one think you made a wise decision in canceling school Tuesday night. At least parents were able to know school was canceled at a decent time span, so they could plan. Thank you, Karen, for taking the initiative to change the usual notification policy of the morning of the cancelation. I know I speak for many parents, and kids as well. Our number one concern is keeping everyone safe.