LibbySchimonitz

Schools across the metro area have made the decision to introduce a third option in regards to snow days during the winter season. In the past, schools would call off school completely, but this year they have decided to add in the option of a two-hour delay to the school day. “They’ll only call it the night before,” Principal Mrs. Susie Sullivan said. “They’ll never call it at six in the morning. That morning, they may decide to go to a full snow day, but once the two hour delay is called the night before, it’s set.”

Several schools throughout Omaha have decided to take part in this new option. “OPS is using it, Millard is using it, Westside, Papillion. The only school I’ve heard that is not going to a two-hour delay is Gretna,” Sullivan said. However, because Marian has so many drivers coming from all over Nebraska, and even parts of Iowa, Sullivan has decided to take matters into her own hands when it comes to the weather.

“We have girls coming from everywhere. Blair, Fremont, Council Bluffs, north, south, east, west Omaha…all parts of the city you guys are coming from. Majority of the time, it’s you girls driving, and that’s why I’m going rogue in the fact that I’m going to make our own announcements,” Sullivan said.

With Marian, Prep, Mercy and Duchesne all considered to be private schools, Sullivan encouraged them to do the same thing. “We follow most of the rules of the Archdiocese, but this is one I’m having a little trouble with,” Sullivan said. “So from now on, I’m going to do the text, I’ll email people, we’ll post on social media. We may go to a full snow day when the other schools don’t.”

In terms of scheduling, Sullivan isn’t anticipating much change in regards to the two-hour delay. “We’ve developed an eight-block two-hour delay schedule, and a four- block schedule. So, it’s a Wednesday, it’ll still be a block day but we’ll cut the times,” Sullivan said. Her only worry is that it will drive teachers crazy to make their lessons match.