Millburn Superintendent: For First 2 Snow Days, School Will Close

MILLBURN, NJ — As schools around the country become more adept at delivering lessons remotely, students face uncertainty as to whether the "Snow Days" of yore may become just that: A thing of the past.

Forecasters are now calling for wet snow in New Jersey Monday and a possible snowstorm on Wednesday afternoon in New Jersey. Some superintendents released their Snow Day policies over the weekend, including Millburn Superintendent Christine Burton.

On Sunday night, Accweather predicted, specifically for Millburn, a total of 8 to 12 inches of snow from Wednesday afternoon through the night (scroll down on the linked page for the totals).

Superintendent Burton was ahead of the game, notifying parents of the policy in a weekly email on Friday.

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Here are the highlights of Burton's policy:

• The first two "Snow Days" will be just that — days off.
• Other inclement weather days will be full or shortened days of remote learning.
• If schools have to close completely for more than two days, students will make up the days during spring break.
• The district will try to make decisions no later than 5:15 a.m. the morning of the school day.

The district started the year with more than a month of remote learning.

Here is the Snow Day portion of Burton's email:

<blockquote>

As with everything else in 2020, school closings for inclement weather will look different this year. Under the Governor’s executive order that allowed schools to meet the minimum 180-day school year requirement by permitting the use of virtual or remote instruction, school districts can apply this same order to days on which remote instruction is necessary due to inclement weather.

As a result, as we anticipate the upcoming winter weather season, here are our plans for inclement weather days:

Snow Days:

• We have two “emergency closing days” built into the 2020-2021 school calendar.
• For the first two days when there is a forecast for extreme winter weather (blizzard, nor’easter, ice storm, power outages, etc.), all schools will be closed for “traditional “snow days.
• All other inclement weather days during the school year will be Remote Virtual Learning Days. Depending on the weather, it may be a full day of school or a shortened day.
• If we must use more than two days for school closings, additional days will be taken away from the April Break.

Delayed Opening: Remote Virtual Learning Days will be 4-hour days

• When there is a forecast for inclement weather during the night or early morning hours, (when we would usually need to call a delayed opening for safe travel), all classes will operate on a remote schedule.
• Whenever possible we will alert families and staff the day before a change in schedule, in order for everyone to be prepared with school supplies and childcare.

Early Dismissal: When inclement weather is forecast to begin during the school day, we will plan to hold school remotely. The school day schedule will be based on the forecast.

Schedules: Emergency Dismissal Virtual Learning Schedules will be posted on school websites, and will be shared in the alerts that are sent out.

We subscribe to several Weather Forecasting services, whose data we use to inform these decisions. As Superintendent, I make the decision to open or close the schools in bad weather after conferring with key district personnel, local township officials and superintendents of neighboring districts.

This year we will make every effort to make the decision the day or night before. If there is an overnight storm, we will make the decision for closure or delay, by 5:15 am in time to reach parents/guardians and staff before leaving for work.

</blockquote>

In other school news:

• There will be a Millburn school board meeting on Monday to share January virtual learning schedules.
• Another North Jersey district released its policy over the weekend. Read that policy here.

Watch Patch for up-to-date weather and school information. Got weather photos or news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com.

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