Due to recent weather problems, The Arrow planned this week to write an editorial concerning the chaos created by the recent record snowfall. Since so many differing tidbits of information exist on the subject, The Arrow went to the source: Superintendent Bill Cooper.
Arrow: The biggest misconception is "snow days." Many FHS students think backup days are built directly into the schedule, whereas others do not. Can you clarify this?
Cooper: The state requires that we have 180 days of instruction. We have, at the high school 183 days scheduled. We have those extra days because we feel 180 days isn't enough. If we had the resources, we would have even more that 183 days.
Those days are not snow days. Those days have no relationship towards bad weather days.
However, since we have more than 180 (days), in the event that we do have a snow day, we don't have to make it up on a Saturday. If we had only 180, we would be required by law to make it up.
A: Many students found themselves stuck in the Flathead High parking lots on the snow days last week (November 19-23), even after the canceled day on Wednesday, beforehand on Tuesday, and even as late as that Friday. Who is responsible for keeping those particular lots cleared?
C: Unfortunately, it was difficult on everybody because it was a record snowfall. The city, county and school district did the best they could with the resources possible.
A: What is the specific criteria for canceling school?
C: We don't have any specific temperature or inches of snow. What we take into consideration is severe temperatures, visibility and how safe the roads are. Before I call off school, we check with the road department, the weather bureau, and the sheriff's department.
A good example is last week. Because of the road conditions, the sheriff and the road department asked us not to have school. The problem (the day before) on Tuesday was that in the suddenness of the storm, no one was prepared with enough information to make the call. (whether school should be canceled)
In hindsight, I should not have had school on Tuesday.
[Transportation Director] Gary Rose does a lot of the legwork. He tells me what the situation is, and gives me his advice. But I make the call.
A: I suppose this has backfired on you before.
C: I can remember one day I called off school and by 10 am, the sun was out, the skies were blue, the people at Big Mountain were happy about it, and I looked like a dolt.
A: One rumor circulating concerns mall shop owners who complained of District 5 students flooding the malls on snow days, causing a nuisance. Supposedly, it got to the point where they all complained, and we now have fewer snow days.
Is this true?
C: It is an unfounded rumor.