Remember the days when you woke up early, turned on the television and waited patiently for the name of your school to show up in the list of school closings scrolling across the bottom of the screen?
Those days are long gone.
Instead of turning on the TV, today’s students, parents and teachers turn to social sites for the latest school closing information. While they’re a great way to quickly disseminate important information, the social platforms have added another layer of pressure for the administrators who are making the call.
Open your Twitter feed the night before a “no day” or “go day” decision and you’ll see posts from a lot people who want to influence the decision, including:
- Amateur meteorologists offering their advice
- Parents who are worried about their children’s safety
- Parents who are unhappy about the possible need to make alternate care arrangements
- Teachers who want a day off
- Teachers who are concerned about falling behind
- Others who just want to offer their two cents
Let’s face it… there’s no way to satisfy everyone. But there are a couple of things that can be done to lessen potential drama.
- Keep followers informed – provide regular updates as to when a decision will be made.
- Abide by previous commitments. For example, if a private school has committed to follow the public district’s lead – don’t waiver. Exceptions to the rule will confuse students and parents who are counting on a consistent message.
- Engage kindly and respectfully on social media – make it fun, if you can. Weather days, especially as they pile-up as high as the snow drifts, can be stressful for everyone.