BEEP. You’re awake. Snooze. You’re asleep. Beep! You’re awake again. You roll over. Time to actually move. Stumbling out of bed, you happen to glance out the window at the blinding white precipitation that has taken over everything you can see. Anticipation fills you as you run in your sleepy state to turn on KDKA. You tell yourself not to get your hopes up as the first five letters of the alphabet fly by and you pray that you don’t see Freeport School District before you see those five magic words: Freedom Area High School: CLOSED. The immediate rush of relief hits you in the head like a soft brick and the sleepiness returns almost instantly. Go back to bed – we have a snow day today. Ask any high school student and they will tell you that snow days are the highlight of their winter. But does anyone actually know the long and grueling process that goes into deciding whether or not you get to fall back asleep? The only person that truly knows is Freedom School District’s superintendent, Dr. Sofo. “Everyone that works with me is happy I make the decision and not them,” Dr. Sofo said as he explained the process he has to go through to determine any school cancellations or delays throughout the district. Dr. Sofo and the district have a contract with the Skywatch Weather Center, the same weather service the Pittsburgh International Airport uses, to send reports of weather warnings. bThe bus company our district uses, Rhodes Transportation, is another very important contact. The situation with the buses can make or break a snow day – if the buses can’t start, neither can school. Other references Dr. Sofo uses are the local police departments and 911 Center to get the best and most accurate reports on local roads. If road crews can handle and clear the snowfall and icy roads by about 9 or 10A.M., we have a delay on our hands. And if they can’t, you can go back to bed, because your bus will not be coming to get you. “If the roads are unsafe we don’t have school,” Dr. Sofo said. Speedy Situations These decisions are made very quickly. While you’re sleeping in your warm and toasty bed waiting for your alarm, Dr. Sofo is up and receiving different weather reports between 4:30 and 6A.M. It’s important in making the decision on whether to delay or cancel school that the bus garage gets the word by 6A.M. at the latest; the first buses to leave the garage around 6:30 need to know if they’re leaving or not. He also needs to give word to the local radio and TV stations. Keeping up with the twenty-first century, a new digital phone system was purchased and is an efficient to use throughout the district for times like this. This phone system has been programmed with the phone numbers of Freedom families so that they get a message about the delay or cancellation for their child’s school without having to check different resources. This way there aren’t any mix-ups, and the goal is to decrease the number of students standing at their bus stop for 20 minutes, freezing, and wondering why their bus is so late. But don’t forget about the teachers – Dr. Sofo also has to notify Dr. Staub and other principals in the district, so that they can tell their teachers not to come to school, or that there is a delay. Mr. Rosa, the President of the teachers’ union in the high school, activates an automated phone chain to inform the teachers of the situation. Early Dismissals are Dismissed The biggest problem that can occur during this decision process is if an ice storm hits while buses are still out; this makes it very difficult for them and the kids to get back. Another major issue would be if an unexpected snow storm blows through while we’re in school and we need to be dismissed early. This can cause problems in elementary schools because some kids wouldn’t have anyone to meet them at their bus stops or houses. What criteria does the weather have to meet for Freedom to delay or cancel? In Dr. Sofo’s opinion, if the wind chill or the temperature is below -5, kids should not be walking to their bus stops. And if an uninvited snow storm hits and brings over 4 inches, we also could be out of school. Making Unpopular Decisions Politics. They’re everywhere. Yes, even among school districts. Numerous school cancellations affect the school calendar, as well as parents’ and teachers’ work calendars in a negative way. If we use all of our scheduled snow days and more, the end of school will be pushed back, therefore pushing back graduation; and no one wants to be in charge of telling seniors that graduation is being rescheduled to a later date. Other things to consider are the surrounding districts and whether or not they are closing or delaying. Dr. Sofo keeps in contact with other superintendants to see what their decisions will be so that he can coordinate appropriately. “People talk,” Dr. Sofo said as he explained that students, and more importantly, parents, tend to get mad if Freedom is the only school in the county to not have a snow day, or, on the opposing side, if Freedom is the only school that does have a snow day. Gifts from Above Students are thrilled when they get a surprise day off. Junior Justin Baumiller said that he “explodes with joy” when he wakes up in the morning and finds a winter wonderland outside his bedroom. Senior Jessica Parson just looks forward to going back to bed, and freshman Louis Spanos gets excited for a fun day of playing in the snow. Students aren’t the only ones that get excited, however. “You kids get out of school, but we are getting out of work,” Mrs. Hastings said. She spends her snows days in her pajamas, drinking hot chocolate and making cookies. “It’s a gift,” Ms. Rolinson said, as she expressed her love of snow days. Getting a day off, whether from work or school, is for the most part a nice break. But what we don’t appreciate are the early mornings and the many phone calls and reports that go out to send those magic words to us: Freedom Area High School: CANCELLED. Thanks to our great superintendent, Dr. Sofo. He knows how to make the right call, and how to make about 550 teenagers very happy.