2205 Forest Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403 SurveyorWHS@gmail.com crwashsurveyor.com Volume 55, Number 6 Friday, February 24, 2012
How to measure a snow day Alyssa Christian Editor-In-Chief There are few words that can incite more emotion among high school students than “Snow Day.” The emphasis placed on this concept and the infrequency in which “Closed” has scrolled along the bottom of the morning news this year has caused many to question what truly comes under consideration when decisions regarding school cancellations are made. The Surveyor had the chance to talk with the supreme authority in determining such days, Dr. David Benson, Superintendent of Schools. “Essentially, there are two major factors [in determining the necessity for a school cancellation]: one is the safety of our students as it pertains to the bussers and drivers; getting kids to and from school. And the second consideration is being able to, what I call, “staff up” the schools. We have staff, live literally, all over Eastern Iowa and if I can’t get staff to school because of road conditions that may exist around and the perimeter around the district, then that becomes problematic,” said Benson. Consideration of current road conditions and the future forecast along with consultation with other districts all play into Benson’s decisions. However, many students feel Benson has been too stringent in his callings of school cancellations and delays. “Everybody can make a best guess of what I should have done because they know exactly what happened because they’re making their judgment [regarding weather] after the fact- I’m trying to make a judgment at about 5 o’clock in the morning on what’s going to
happen,” responded Benson. “I do the best I can with the information that I have and I always understand that people can second guess that decision.” Regardless, Benson evaluates his past decisions. “I always look back and try and be self-reflective in my administrative practice just like I ask teachers to be self-reflective in their instructional practices. The day the snowstorm came in, sometime around 8 o’clock a.m., as it turned out that day was a questionable call. We were able to have an early dismissal and safely get all of our students home, but, you know, I try not to second guess myself; I make the best decision I can and reflect on it, but sure, yeah, I’ve had questionable calls,” said Benson. Ann Rosenthal, a 13-year Director At-Large for the Cedar Rapids Board of Education and mother of five graduated and current students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District took another perspective on the issue. “A previous superintendent told me- ‘we decide, you know, the administration and the school district decide whether or not to hold school, if we think it’s safe, but it’s really up to the parent to decide whether or not… [they think] it’s safe enough for their child to go to school. So I always look at it that way too; if I disagreed with the school [district] and whether or not they were holding school then it’s up to me to decide whether or not my child goes to school,” said Rosenthal. Nonetheless, Rosenthal believes “it’s been an easy winter” and has been satisfied with the district’s decisions this year regarding cancellations and delays.
“I just appreciate that [the district is] watching out for the safety of, and trying to do what’s in the best interest for all the teachers
and the staff and the students in the district,” said Rosenthal, “I think they take it seriously and I think they’ve done a good job this year.”
Photo Illustration by Katie Nunemaker
Inside this Issue n e w s
o p i n i o n s
p r o f i l e s
f o c u s
a & e
s p o r t s
Pages 2-4
Pages 5-6
Page 7 &10
Pages 8-9
Pages 11-13 Pages 12-15