Snow days. They are a wintery par for the course when you teach in New England. Some years we have many of them, forcing the school year to last until what feels like the 4th of July. Other years, we don’t have any at all. Recently, with a storm brewing and moving towards the east coast, and it was a no-brainer for districts to cancel school during the afternoon of the day before the storm was to move in. My head and heart were filled with a whole range of emotions — joy, glee, dread, stress. We just happened to be ending our day with Writer’s Workshop, so I joined my Kindergarten students in a bit of writing. Here’s what was on my mind that afternoon.
Snow Day
I want one,
But I don’t.
Books and warm blankets invite me to linger longer,
Yet summer’s warmth and seemingly endless days beckon me, too.
A winter’s day to rest, relax, and rejuvenate,
Only to return to curriculum, assessments, and paperwork piling up as fast as the snow.
Conflicted.
— Christie Wyman, 2017
P.S. We had the snow day, the hot chocolate was delicious, and it was truly a gift!
Wondering and Wandering 
Also being from NE I can totally relate to your post. Oh, the conflict of having a snow day. We definitely don’t want anything to take away our summer days, but yes! How nice it is to stay in yoga pants, under a blanket, a binge watch Fixer Upper and drink coffee!! Lol. I have come to feel that we just need one, although depending on what day of the week we are supposed to get out, two could be okay too. Anything more than that though, is just too much!! Thanks for sharing.
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Binging on Fixer Upper and coffee. Oh yes! And from the way I see it, once your last days gets bumped from a Friday until a Monday, you might as well have another one. Right?
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Christie, you got the 3r’s right: rest, relax, and rejuvenate. Winter brings this and … snow shoveling but this year I took it as a gift not a chore. Exercise and fresh air was refreshing-another R.
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And I love the quiet and stillness after a storm. Being out in it (albeit shoveling) was truly refreshing. Agreed.
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When I saw your teaser my immediate thought was “Yes!” We didn’t have any snow days last year (I’m in WI), but we did have one earlier in January this year. It was the first time in 9 years of teaching that I did NOT want a snow day, but it was because it was our second-to-last day to rehearse for our 7th grade plays. Oh well!
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And I was torn because it would mess up the 100th day of school, making it collide with Valentine’s Day! 🙂 Why do I find it shocking a teacher in WI didn’t have a single snow day last year?
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We left 2 hours early yesterday because of the weather situation and while it was nice to have a little extra time to relax, I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things that I had planned for my afternoon groups. I know exactly what you mean about being conflicted:)
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We have no snow in the Midwest right now and I am wanting it!
Such a lovely gift when you get the day though
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I think you perfectly sum up just about every Michigan teachers feelings! We have had an unusually warm February (9 days above 50) kinda want another snow day, kinda don’t!
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Living in the DC area, I am patiently waiting for just ONE snow day this year. Last year was the blizzard of the century. This year, a flake or two. Will March bring us a spring snow?!
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I love this! I’m from Michigan but live in Alabama and while we do get “snow days” sometimes, it’s nothing like home. I miss your kind of snowday!!
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I grew up near Buffalo and live in Texas. Sometimes I long distance snow but I don’t think I could stand it for more than a few days. When we get it (or ice) we just stay home until it melts. Usually by the next day.
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