Why was school delayed today in central Iowa???

[EnhancedFujita]

My guess is because in those situations the employees of that daycare are paid for 2 hours or whatever the time differential is between normal open and school start. Opening at the normal time and then running until the new school start time after the delay would be double that.

I'd be more than willing to pay extra in these situations, and I'd be the staff wouldn't mind making time and a half to keep the normal schedule.

Also with the daycare opening two hours late is also a policy issue. Much easier to have a standard policy then to take each occurrence separately. It should be laid out in your handbook.

Say the delay was due to snow...is the parking lot cleared yet at 6:30? What about the walk ways? Okay what if it was at one school but not another.

I hate to be blunt but tjink big picture. They have been doing this a lot longer than you have been a parent.

I appreciate the big picture comment, and I do try to take that into account. I've never complained about them starting late or canceling due to snow/ice and bad road conditions. But today they delayed because of cold weather. Negative 30 temp didn't stop me from getting to work in time, so it shouldn't stop a daycare worker either. Again, I get it for the school system and the school buses, but I don't get why this before school thing gets delayed too. I'm sure it's easiest to just have a blanket policy that covers everything, but it can't be that hard to write in something extra that says you get charged $20 more a day when school is delayed but before care isn't.

Luckily my wife is now is a salaried position so she doesn't have a firm start time and we make this work, but it's still rough and I feel for those that don't have the flexibility we that we have.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

People complain if you close/delay and people complain when you don't. Its a losing situation for those involved in making the decision.

You are correct, however, I think the decision isn't really that difficult. (See my post, #35, above.)

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Funny that some of you are like, "well, I am outside now and it is okay." They can't wait until right before to make that decision. It needs to be made in advance, using the best information available. I don't blame them for delaying to protect their butts from lawsuit-happy parents.

Most schools have partner schools who determine if they go, delay, or cancel. That way they aren't alone - my guess is the first question in a liability lawsuit is what other neighboring schools did. If they delayed and you didn't, and something happened, your *** is in trouble.

And if Waukee gets sued and loses, who pays? They aren't a private company. They can't declare bankruptcy and cease operations. The Waukee taxpayers end up paying for it, one way or another. So we all should be glad our schools err on the side of caution.

Best post so far in this thread! Thanks for some common sense!

 

[Cy4Lifer]

I ran my chore tractor the coldest 2 days of the winter with no problems. So did most of the farmers in the state. Semi's run in the cold weather also. About the only excuse for having fuel issues in cold weather is lack of planning.

Glad to know your tractor ran well. However, if you would have had any problems, how many people would be affected? Just one...you. Now, even if ALL the buses ran fine, like your tractor, but even just ONE bus had problems, think of how many more people would be involved due to the decision to NOT delay or cancel.

 

[somecyguy]

I'd be more than willing to pay extra in these situations, and I'd be the staff wouldn't mind making time and a half to keep the normal schedule.



I appreciate the big picture comment, and I do try to take that into account. I've never complained about them starting late or canceling due to snow/ice and bad road conditions. But today they delayed because of cold weather. Negative 30 temp didn't stop me from getting to work in time, so it shouldn't stop a daycare worker either. Again, I get it for the school system and the school buses, but I don't get why this before school thing gets delayed too. I'm sure it's easiest to just have a blanket policy that covers everything, but it can't be that hard to write in something extra that says you get charged $20 more a day when school is delayed but before care isn't.

Luckily my wife is now is a salaried position so she doesn't have a firm start time and we make this work, but it's still rough and I feel for those that don't have the flexibility we that we have.

Here in CR, I am fighting the same issue. There was a policy change just before winter that has me ****** about it. Previously, if school was canceled, the school "day care" remained opened. We paid extra for that. Right before winter started, they removed that option. BS. After months of push back, they amended the policy to only closing the day cares if school administrative offices are closed. That was their out.

So today schools and school administrative offices are closed. BUT! School maintenance and janitorial people are still to report to work. So janitors can report to the schools, thousands of us can report to work, but school administrators vote themselves a day off(paid by the way), while closing the day cares and screwing parents over in the process.

 

[Cybyassociation]

Here in CR, I am fighting the same issue. There was a policy change just before winter that has me ****** about it. Previously, if school was canceled, the school "day care" remained opened. We paid extra for that. Right before winter started, they removed that option. BS. After months of push back, they amended the policy to only closing the day cares if school administrative offices are closed. That was their out.

So today schools and school administrative offices are closed. BUT! School maintenance and janitorial people are still to report to work. So janitors can report to the schools, thousands of us can report to work, but school administrators vote themselves a day off(paid by the way), while closing the day cares and screwing parents over in the process.

When have the offices been closed? What was the weather like?

 

[bringmagicback]

stupid parents that forget their kids and they lose a finger or toe and buses with diesel engines that cant handle cold weather.
Those are the 2 reasons.

 

[TykeClone]

I will date myself, I went to school in the 50's & 60's in southern, central, north central and northestern Iowa and we did not go late due to cold weather. But as I noted people are much more complain/sue happy today.

school districts were smaller (in square miles) then too.

It makes a big difference when kids must either drive or be bused thirty miles rather than 10.

I'd rather see them err on the side of caution rather than having a kid wind up dead in a ditch somewhere.

 

[kingcy]

So you got your one tractor up and going. Whoopty-doo!

These superintendents are running multi-million dollar business operations. They aren't idiots.

So they should be able to get their buses to start.

 

[kingcy]

Glad to know your tractor ran well. However, if you would have had any problems, how many people would be affected? Just one...you. Now, even if ALL the buses ran fine, like your tractor, but even just ONE bus had problems, think of how many more people would be involved due to the decision to NOT delay or cancel.

Getting them going is the hardest part.

 

[somecyguy]

When have the offices been closed? What was the weather like?

Today.

I see no reason why school administrative offices are any different than any company in an office building. If business offices can continue to operate during snow storms, so can school administrators. I get why they tie the day care to when they are in the office. What peeves me is their low bar to voting themselves a paid day off which affects a lot of other people.

 

[cloneswereall]

Today.

I see no reason why school administrative offices are any different than any company in an office building. If business offices can continue to operate during snow storms, so can school administrators. I get why they tie the day care to when they are in the office. What peeves me is their low bar to voting themselves a paid day off which affects a lot of other people.

You do realize that administration in school districts still report when school is cancelled unless it's announced that all buildings and offices are closed, correct? Administration, secretaries, janitorial staff all report 12 months out of the year. Cooks, teachers, and para-educators are the only group that work in schools that get the same days off as students.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

If a parent can't figure out a different way to get their child to school other than walking or waiting for the bus in weather like this, then they should be ashamed of themselves. Kids need to be in school, American children aren't getting any smarter.

 

[im4cyclones]

Today.

I see no reason why school administrative offices are any different than any company in an office building. If business offices can continue to operate during snow storms, so can school administrators. I get why they tie the day care to when they are in the office. What peeves me is their low bar to voting themselves a paid day off which affects a lot of other people.

Just checking... Do you actually know if your school's administrators were at school? Or are you just assuming they weren't?

And if you know, how? Did you stop by?

If you don't actually know, then stop pretending like you do.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

You do realize that administration in school districts still report when school is cancelled unless it's announced that all buildings and offices are closed, correct? Administration, secretaries, janitorial staff all report 12 months out of the year. Cooks, teachers, and para-educators are the only group that work in schools that get the same days off as students.

And the cooks, teachers, and para-educators don't really get the "day off", since missed school days are made up at a later date.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

If a parent can't figure out a different way to get their child to school other than walking or waiting for the bus in weather like this, then they should be ashamed of themselves. Kids need to be in school, American children aren't getting any smarter.

Yes, children need to be in school, but if they aren't there today, they will be there at a later date to make that day up.

 

[im4cyclones]

So they should be able to get their buses to start.

Do you really think you are smarter than the 300-some school superintendents in Iowa? Really?

Isn't it more likely that there is a reason of which neither you nor I know?

 

[kingcy]

Do you really think you are smarter than the 300-some school superintendents in Iowa? Really?

Isn't it more likely that there is a reason of which neither you nor I know?

Why does it matter who is smarter, I am sure I am smarter than some and others are smarter than I. I do know a thing or two about engines and how things work.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Why does it matter who is smarter, I am sure I am smarter than some and others are smarter than I. I do know a thing or two about engines and how things work.

You may know lots about how engines and things work, but not sure if you know how public schools work (nor do I), so whether you are able to get a tractor to start, really has nothing to do with decision-making at schools.

 

[Bu4ISU]

If a parent can't figure out a different way to get their child to school other than walking or waiting for the bus in weather like this, then they should be ashamed of themselves. Kids need to be in school, American children aren't getting any smarter.

Wrong we are actually getting smarter