Nadiyah Browning ‘16, Nina Pagano ‘16: The protocol for determining a possible snow day is quite intricate, as revealed in an interview conducted with Dr. Locke, Head of School. Many aspects are considered when deciding, including: whether or not the campus has power, if the snow can be plowed, if campus is icy, and if the roads surrounding campus are in suitable condition. Dr. Locke says, “We have many faculty members and students traveling from far away, so we need to consider a fairly broad area.” Locke explained that the night before an upcoming snowstorm, he begins to communicate with other heads of independent schools and also keeps an eye out for possible closings and delays
Photo Courtesy of Claire Smith ’16
However, the decision is not only in the hands of Dr. Locke. Mark Nataro, Director of Operations, and Dr. Cathy Hall, Assistant Head of School, also hold weight in the decision. Nataro oversees the facilities and security operations and has great impact on the school’s closing from the perspective of the school’s safety.
It seems like an eternity ago, but believe it or not Episcopal’s first snow day was before Christmas Break on December 9, 2013. The students showed their excitement for a potential day off, even getting #snowdayforlucia trending on Twitter. Locke reciprocated the snow day excitement as he wrote, “I will admit that the first snow day was fun. There was a lot of buzz on Twitter from the students, and I think we all remember what it was like as a kid to have a snow day. I think everyone was excited.” And indeed we all were — until it seemed as if it was impossible to remember what the ground looked like without snow.
Due to the inclement weather, many students and faculty are unsure as to what is going to happen since we have missed so many days of class. Many students are nervous about accumulating schoolwork and AP exams sneaking up. As a result of the devastating snowstorms this year, Episcopal has reclaimed Monday, March 31, previously a Professional Development Day, which was also the students’ last day of spring break. Locke also stated, “Each division of the school is also making changes internally to try and recapture instructional time.” Therefore, nothing concrete has been set yet.
As for now, the only thing the Episcopal community can hope for is that the sun will soon melt the snow. Winter has taken a toll on the mentalities of both the students and faculty this year in ways that it has not before. As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, students and teachers have been working cohesively and efficiently while under pressure and time constraints. As Locke put it, “I am proud that our community has rallied together and been flexible. Pitchers and catchers report soon. I am looking forward to spring!”