No more snow! No more snow!
As I chant these words to myself in a half-hearted command, I picture the dirty, slushy snow and salty ice melt that had taken over my sidewalk, driveway, and car these past few months. It all started in January when we were supposed to return to school after winter break. Instead, a snow day greeted us—that quickly turned into four snow days in that first week, with just one lone day of actual school in between. Trust me, I don’t think anyone complained about the extended vacation. Well, except me.
While others enjoyed the warmth of the indoors or raced down hills on makeshift sleds, I spent those days shoveling. The driveway, sidewalk, and dreaded snowbanks left behind by the plows felt endless. The worst part? Digging out our buried cars just in case we had to go to work the next day. We never knew if school would be in session, so clearing a path was necessary. And, of course, that meant scraping layers of ice and snow off the cars themselves.
So, no, I didn’t exactly love the snow days. Years ago, too many meant extending the school year into the summer. That was the worst—tacking on extra days when EVERYONE, kids and adults alike, just wanted to be done. Ever since then, snow days have always made me uneasy.
But things have changed thanks to the virtual learning experience from the 2020 pandemic. When we use up our allotted snow days, we can shift to virtual or AMI (Alternative Methods of Instruction) days, helping us avoid extending the school year. This year, we used all four snow days early, so we had to switch to AMI days by the time the second (or third) winter storm hit. A slight inconvenience, but it’s much better than losing summer break.
And now, we welcome March and the early signs of spring. Technically, winter isn’t over yet, and in St. Louis, you never know what you’ll get. I mean, it snowed on May 6, 1998! So I can’t say with absolute certainty that we may not have seen the last of it.
Snow isn’t all bad in the grand scheme of things—especially in education. Students love it, teachers love it, and for kids, it means bonus playtime and even some extra cash from shoveling driveways. But snow also makes driving treacherous and dangerous, which is precisely why snow days exist. Like most things in life, moderation is key. Snow has benefits—it even helps the soil prepare for spring and summer—but too much of it can be a significant hassle.
As much as I’d rather not see another snowflake this season, I can live with some snow in moderation. Unfortunately, that’s out of my hands. I can control how I handle the things life throws my way—including the snow—one shovelful at a time.