Snow Day #3!!! Spring Break #2 is Almost Accomplished!
Yesterday was our third snow day. I am almost ready to declare that I will be having an additional Spring Break this year!!! I now have enough extra days off to do so.
Here's what goes on at my job. I work at a residential treatment facility and day school. When inclement weather comes, like yesterday's ice storm, we have a group of students who are at the facility already. Their commute to school is down the sidewalk. We also have a group of students who need the structure of daily school, and, compounding all of that, we also have a lack of staff members scheduled for school hours. Hence, the inclement weather policy! Any certified staff member (me - that's me) who wants to make the trip to be at school gets to take an equivalent amount of time off at a later date. I have missed exactly 3 snow days in my 22 years of service.
Yesterday was the third snow day of this school year. I am hoping for one more so I can take a week off later in the Spring. If it doesn't happen, I'll be able to still take my week off, but I'll have to use other time, not Inclement Weather time.
So, on Inclement Weather days, I have a decreased caseload but significantly more groups. Only the residents are around on snow days, so my caseload number is only 65 rather than 113, but I have groups scheduled for every student, so I see everyone rather than just five classes. I try to save some things for these days that are a bit out of the ordinary. Yesterday, for example, we karaoked and did some non-music therapy centers. We've watched Pixar shorts before, and we sometimes play baseball.
Yesterday's day was a complete surprise. I didn't know it was a snow day until I got to work. Today, I am watching the closings list carefully so I can figure out what I am walking into today. So far, there are many closings, but only one on my side of the state line.
Most of my group of co-workers stay at their homes on these days. They don't understand why I like to work on bad weather days. My reason is simple - I don't find out it is an Inclement Weather day until I get to work (because I leave for work so early), so I am already there. I don't want to have to travel the roads twice for a completely wasted trip! So, it is easier to work. Plus - bonus days off!!
If the weather is particularly bad, I stay overnight at work. I live 50 miles from where I work, and there is no reason to put myself into danger if I can avoid it. So, I always keep a change of clothing and my sleeping bags in the car. That way, if I have to, I have the materials that I need to spend the night on my office floor. That hasn't happened since I moved into my office a year ago. I'm okay with it not happening this year either, but the option is always there.
I don't think we got any more ice accumulation overnight, but I'm not sure if we will be going to regular school or snow day school today. If it is snow day school, I think I'll pull out the baseball game. If it is regular school, I'm going to try my centers again. I have a week of centers and then a week in CA for some professional development and presentations. I am more than ready!
Here's what goes on at my job. I work at a residential treatment facility and day school. When inclement weather comes, like yesterday's ice storm, we have a group of students who are at the facility already. Their commute to school is down the sidewalk. We also have a group of students who need the structure of daily school, and, compounding all of that, we also have a lack of staff members scheduled for school hours. Hence, the inclement weather policy! Any certified staff member (me - that's me) who wants to make the trip to be at school gets to take an equivalent amount of time off at a later date. I have missed exactly 3 snow days in my 22 years of service.
Yesterday was the third snow day of this school year. I am hoping for one more so I can take a week off later in the Spring. If it doesn't happen, I'll be able to still take my week off, but I'll have to use other time, not Inclement Weather time.
So, on Inclement Weather days, I have a decreased caseload but significantly more groups. Only the residents are around on snow days, so my caseload number is only 65 rather than 113, but I have groups scheduled for every student, so I see everyone rather than just five classes. I try to save some things for these days that are a bit out of the ordinary. Yesterday, for example, we karaoked and did some non-music therapy centers. We've watched Pixar shorts before, and we sometimes play baseball.
Yesterday's day was a complete surprise. I didn't know it was a snow day until I got to work. Today, I am watching the closings list carefully so I can figure out what I am walking into today. So far, there are many closings, but only one on my side of the state line.
Most of my group of co-workers stay at their homes on these days. They don't understand why I like to work on bad weather days. My reason is simple - I don't find out it is an Inclement Weather day until I get to work (because I leave for work so early), so I am already there. I don't want to have to travel the roads twice for a completely wasted trip! So, it is easier to work. Plus - bonus days off!!
If the weather is particularly bad, I stay overnight at work. I live 50 miles from where I work, and there is no reason to put myself into danger if I can avoid it. So, I always keep a change of clothing and my sleeping bags in the car. That way, if I have to, I have the materials that I need to spend the night on my office floor. That hasn't happened since I moved into my office a year ago. I'm okay with it not happening this year either, but the option is always there.
I don't think we got any more ice accumulation overnight, but I'm not sure if we will be going to regular school or snow day school today. If it is snow day school, I think I'll pull out the baseball game. If it is regular school, I'm going to try my centers again. I have a week of centers and then a week in CA for some professional development and presentations. I am more than ready!
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