They deleted the old Snowstorm post. Post here instead.

[Anonymous]

The streets in our area, right next to a very large middle school are fine for traffic going in one direction, so unless they make these one way roads there is no way to have the buses and cars coming in and out. The sidewalks are iced over in front of most of the houses. No chance they will be safe to open Monday or Tuesday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers really think it's unsafe for them to go to school?
(Not talking about kid and bus safety).

I find it unreasonable and unreal. That's exactly why they get a bad rap for being whiny.

If you want an honest answer, you should refrain from using the unnecessary ad hominem attack.
As a teacher, I’m not worried about my own safety. I’ll work on de-icing my car this weekend, and I’ll get to school early enough to avoid possible parking lot disasters.

I am worried about the kids and the busses, though.

Have you really not had to leave your house yet? Is your street not plowed at all or something?

I can’t back my car out of its parking space and I don’t own a shovel. I’ll figure something out. I’m from the South and just wasn’t prepared for this kind of thing. I didn’t know snow could turn into hard immovable blocks of ice - I hate it.

You don’t own a shovel? How long have you lived here?

Five years - I never needed a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted. If I may “whine” a little (for therapeutic reasons), the earliest I can get a shovel delivered is Monday night, my condo association just told me they don’t have any available to loan me, and the maintenance men who are making use of said shovels are not working on unblocking cars from their parking spaces. They’re shoveling the walkways… apparently. My courtyard is still pure ice. I guess I’m going to have to interact with my neighbors so I can borrow a shovel. Ugh. That means I’ll need to have hour-long conversations about someone’s kidney stones or heart problems.

The last two Januarys we had significant snow where you would have needed a shovel. You should always shovel your car out asap in case of emergencies. I’m going to assume you don’t have kids.

Actually, I didn’t need a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted enough that it didn’t impede my car. Now I know! I’ll be prepared for the next snow/ice fall, for sure.

How could your car have been shoveled out for the last two Januarys? There was quite a bit of snow.

You also should keep ice melt on hand to treat the area around your car. Also, you need an ice scraper and brush to keep in your car.

I have a scraper and brush for my car, thankfully. I live in an apartment complex, so the parking lot is mostly cleared out but there is a large block of ice behind my car that I need to remove. I’ll figure something out. I don’t understand why people need to disparage me for not having a well-developed “home and car repair” skill set, but I’m a teacher and it is my instinct to be kind and encouraging to people who are still learning.

Unreasonable responses. A four inch covering of solid ice is not something that anyone would be expected to deal with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue on Monday is going to be wind chills (my phone tells me a Feels Like of 0 at 7am) and sidewalks/bus stops. They won't want kids waiting in the cold for buses, and then add in the old logic of "the bus stops aren't clear." My kid walks to school (there is a large walker population at our MS) and about half the sidewalks have been touched, so they'd have to walk on the main road. The MS school lot and sidewalks are clear, FWIW.

Realizing they DO have to go back to school at some point, but it's just a mess between the snow not going anywhere, buses actually getting through on the (now) narrow roads/pathways with the ice piled and walkers.

Tuesday, however, looks substantially better and we might actually see some melting! So yay for that?

Yay and Please God. (I’m the incompetent adult without a shovel).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue on Monday is going to be wind chills (my phone tells me a Feels Like of 0 at 7am) and sidewalks/bus stops. They won't want kids waiting in the cold for buses, and then add in the old logic of "the bus stops aren't clear." My kid walks to school (there is a large walker population at our MS) and about half the sidewalks have been touched, so they'd have to walk on the main road. The MS school lot and sidewalks are clear, FWIW.

Realizing they DO have to go back to school at some point, but it's just a mess between the snow not going anywhere, buses actually getting through on the (now) narrow roads/pathways with the ice piled and walkers.

Tuesday, however, looks substantially better and we might actually see some melting! So yay for that?

Yay and Please God. (I’m the incompetent adult without a shovel).

OK but that melting wouldn't happen until mid-day and later on Tuesday.........

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers really think it's unsafe for them to go to school?
(Not talking about kid and bus safety).

I find it unreasonable and unreal. That's exactly why they get a bad rap for being whiny.

If you want an honest answer, you should refrain from using the unnecessary ad hominem attack.
As a teacher, I’m not worried about my own safety. I’ll work on de-icing my car this weekend, and I’ll get to school early enough to avoid possible parking lot disasters.

I am worried about the kids and the busses, though.

Have you really not had to leave your house yet? Is your street not plowed at all or something?

I can’t back my car out of its parking space and I don’t own a shovel. I’ll figure something out. I’m from the South and just wasn’t prepared for this kind of thing. I didn’t know snow could turn into hard immovable blocks of ice - I hate it.

You don’t own a shovel? How long have you lived here?

Five years - I never needed a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted. If I may “whine” a little (for therapeutic reasons), the earliest I can get a shovel delivered is Monday night, my condo association just told me they don’t have any available to loan me, and the maintenance men who are making use of said shovels are not working on unblocking cars from their parking spaces. They’re shoveling the walkways… apparently. My courtyard is still pure ice. I guess I’m going to have to interact with my neighbors so I can borrow a shovel. Ugh. That means I’ll need to have hour-long conversations about someone’s kidney stones or heart problems.

The last two Januarys we had significant snow where you would have needed a shovel. You should always shovel your car out asap in case of emergencies. I’m going to assume you don’t have kids.

Actually, I didn’t need a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted enough that it didn’t impede my car. Now I know! I’ll be prepared for the next snow/ice fall, for sure.

How could your car have been shoveled out for the last two Januarys? There was quite a bit of snow.

You also should keep ice melt on hand to treat the area around your car. Also, you need an ice scraper and brush to keep in your car.

I have a scraper and brush for my car, thankfully. I live in an apartment complex, so the parking lot is mostly cleared out but there is a large block of ice behind my car that I need to remove. I’ll figure something out. I don’t understand why people need to disparage me for not having a well-developed “home and car repair” skill set, but I’m a teacher and it is my instinct to be kind and encouraging to people who are still learning.

Unreasonable responses. A four inch covering of solid ice is not something that anyone would be expected to deal with.

Except this happened LAST YEAR. Not the amount of sleet or specifics of this particular storm, but it was the cold weather and ice that kept the kids out of school for nearly the entire first week back after the holidays.

I'm so tired of "this never happens here, we simply don't know how to handle it!" when it fact does happen with enough regularity that the people in charge need to know how to handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers really think it's unsafe for them to go to school?
(Not talking about kid and bus safety).

I find it unreasonable and unreal. That's exactly why they get a bad rap for being whiny.

If you want an honest answer, you should refrain from using the unnecessary ad hominem attack.
As a teacher, I’m not worried about my own safety. I’ll work on de-icing my car this weekend, and I’ll get to school early enough to avoid possible parking lot disasters.

I am worried about the kids and the busses, though.

Have you really not had to leave your house yet? Is your street not plowed at all or something?

I can’t back my car out of its parking space and I don’t own a shovel. I’ll figure something out. I’m from the South and just wasn’t prepared for this kind of thing. I didn’t know snow could turn into hard immovable blocks of ice - I hate it.

You don’t own a shovel? How long have you lived here?

Five years - I never needed a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted. If I may “whine” a little (for therapeutic reasons), the earliest I can get a shovel delivered is Monday night, my condo association just told me they don’t have any available to loan me, and the maintenance men who are making use of said shovels are not working on unblocking cars from their parking spaces. They’re shoveling the walkways… apparently. My courtyard is still pure ice. I guess I’m going to have to interact with my neighbors so I can borrow a shovel. Ugh. That means I’ll need to have hour-long conversations about someone’s kidney stones or heart problems.

The last two Januarys we had significant snow where you would have needed a shovel. You should always shovel your car out asap in case of emergencies. I’m going to assume you don’t have kids.

Actually, I didn’t need a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted enough that it didn’t impede my car. Now I know! I’ll be prepared for the next snow/ice fall, for sure.

How could your car have been shoveled out for the last two Januarys? There was quite a bit of snow.

You also should keep ice melt on hand to treat the area around your car. Also, you need an ice scraper and brush to keep in your car.

I have a scraper and brush for my car, thankfully. I live in an apartment complex, so the parking lot is mostly cleared out but there is a large block of ice behind my car that I need to remove. I’ll figure something out. I don’t understand why people need to disparage me for not having a well-developed “home and car repair” skill set, but I’m a teacher and it is my instinct to be kind and encouraging to people who are still learning.

DP. I am sorry that you apparently didn't have an adult in your life to help with this stuff when you were younger. I mean that sincerely. Once I was old enough to drive, my parents made sure I had an emergency kit in my car, and then in college they made sure I had the appropriate equipment and basic preparation for weather events or emergencies. It also sounds like you may need to get out of your comfort zone and ask someone for help. Offer a cash tip to one of the maintenance guys for shoveling out your car and they'd probably do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers really think it's unsafe for them to go to school?
(Not talking about kid and bus safety).

I find it unreasonable and unreal. That's exactly why they get a bad rap for being whiny.

If you want an honest answer, you should refrain from using the unnecessary ad hominem attack.
As a teacher, I’m not worried about my own safety. I’ll work on de-icing my car this weekend, and I’ll get to school early enough to avoid possible parking lot disasters.

I am worried about the kids and the busses, though.

Have you really not had to leave your house yet? Is your street not plowed at all or something?

I can’t back my car out of its parking space and I don’t own a shovel. I’ll figure something out. I’m from the South and just wasn’t prepared for this kind of thing. I didn’t know snow could turn into hard immovable blocks of ice - I hate it.

You don’t own a shovel? How long have you lived here?

Five years - I never needed a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted. If I may “whine” a little (for therapeutic reasons), the earliest I can get a shovel delivered is Monday night, my condo association just told me they don’t have any available to loan me, and the maintenance men who are making use of said shovels are not working on unblocking cars from their parking spaces. They’re shoveling the walkways… apparently. My courtyard is still pure ice. I guess I’m going to have to interact with my neighbors so I can borrow a shovel. Ugh. That means I’ll need to have hour-long conversations about someone’s kidney stones or heart problems.

The last two Januarys we had significant snow where you would have needed a shovel. You should always shovel your car out asap in case of emergencies. I’m going to assume you don’t have kids.

Actually, I didn’t need a shovel before. The snow was soft or melted enough that it didn’t impede my car. Now I know! I’ll be prepared for the next snow/ice fall, for sure.

How could your car have been shoveled out for the last two Januarys? There was quite a bit of snow.

You also should keep ice melt on hand to treat the area around your car. Also, you need an ice scraper and brush to keep in your car.

I have a scraper and brush for my car, thankfully. I live in an apartment complex, so the parking lot is mostly cleared out but there is a large block of ice behind my car that I need to remove. I’ll figure something out. I don’t understand why people need to disparage me for not having a well-developed “home and car repair” skill set, but I’m a teacher and it is my instinct to be kind and encouraging to people who are still learning.

np. You come across as an incompetent when you say that you will spend money to Uber, instead of taking a few minutes to figure out crow bar alternatives. You also don't come across as kind when you describe talking to your neighbors as having "hour-long conversations about someone’s kidney stones or heart problems."

PP was harsh and that was uncalled for, but your comments about your neighbors is far from kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue on Monday is going to be wind chills (my phone tells me a Feels Like of 0 at 7am) and sidewalks/bus stops. They won't want kids waiting in the cold for buses, and then add in the old logic of "the bus stops aren't clear." My kid walks to school (there is a large walker population at our MS) and about half the sidewalks have been touched, so they'd have to walk on the main road. The MS school lot and sidewalks are clear, FWIW.

Realizing they DO have to go back to school at some point, but it's just a mess between the snow not going anywhere, buses actually getting through on the (now) narrow roads/pathways with the ice piled and walkers.

Tuesday, however, looks substantially better and we might actually see some melting! So yay for that?

Yay and Please God. (I’m the incompetent adult without a shovel).

OK but that melting wouldn't happen until mid-day and later on Tuesday.........

and.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

You realize that every single other business and even GMU and the DC public school system are all open as of today, right? Somehow FCPS is extra allergic to snow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

You realize that every single other business and even GMU and the DC public school system are all open as of today, right? Somehow FCPS is extra allergic to snow.

FCPS is a bloated inefficient institution with too many administrators and not enough people - like custodians and teachers — who do real work. That’s the problem. I doubt their ability to get it together before Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

You do realize FCPS has many low income people who likely don't work in offices, right? Lots of shift workers, blue collar labor jobs; etc? They need to work too. In fact, many might rely on hourly work!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

You do realize FCPS has many low income people who likely don't work in offices, right? Lots of shift workers, blue collar labor jobs; etc? They need to work too. In fact, many might rely on hourly work!

Duh, who do you think she was talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a school that has to have teachers park in the neighborhood. If the streets aren’t plowed to allow for parking, there is no where to park.

Same at my school

I love the parents complaining who go to jobs with parking garages and buildings with guaranteed heat in their offices. Many of us will show up to piles of snow in parking spots and need to park two blocks away with the choice to either walk down dangerous roads or climb ad walk on top of piles of ice and snow that cover neighborhood sidewalks. Then for a bonus we get chilly~cold buildings.

You do realize FCPS has many low income people who likely don't work in offices, right? Lots of shift workers, blue collar labor jobs; etc? They need to work too. In fact, many might rely on hourly work!

Duh, who do you think she was talking about?

Teachers who don't want to work! Everyone else wants to work or has to work.