Odd reasons for school being closed?

[simba20]

I had to laugh. I'm watching the 5:00 news and one of the upcoming stories is about how schools in Tuscaloosa are getting out on Friday because of the University of Alabama homecoming game on Saturday, and is this really a valid reason to cancel classes. I guess this is a timely topic!

Ummm...kickoff isn't until 8pm Sat - do they REALLY need to get out of class on Friday? I wonder if the University itself is having Friday classes -lol.

My college always cancelled classes after 2 p.m. on Friday of Homecoming week so everyone could watch the parade.

Since my college was one of those M-TH type of colleges, it was the one week where students didn't leave town Thursday nights to head home. That and finals week.

Although that's not to say we had a sucky football team. We've been Div I-AA national champs 6 times. Our former head coach is now doing an amazing job at Georgia Tech and helped to turn Navy around during his years there too.

 

[dis-happy]

Growing up we got California Admissions Day off (the day CA became a state).


Sometimes it's more about the holiday you don't get off that raises an eyebrow. When we first moved to Charlotte, NC in the 90's, all the schools actually had a regular school day on Memorial Day!!! "Why," I asked? Because Memorial Day is a "northern holiday" celebrating the Civil War (aka "the war between the states" or even "the war of northern agression" if you live in GA). So school took place as usual as they ignored the holiday.

 

[Sinderelli]

All of the schools in New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast close on Monday and Tuesday of Mardi Gras week.

I teach in a Catholic school, and we get the whole week off for Mardi Gras! We do what the locals do- get the heck out of town

If I'm not mistaken, New Orleans schools got off the day of the first Saints game this season. They held a parade and everything just like during Mardi Gras.

The N.O. schools had a 1/2 day because of traffic related to the parade....but most schools closed the day after the Superbowl

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

My children go to Catholic/Private schools and if any holiday falls on a Monday, the Friday before is therefore the principals holiday or superintendents holiday. They end up with many 4 day weekends and it is in the teacher's contracts.

 

[georgina]

A few years ago, a lot of schools in our area had the day after the Steelers won the super bowl off. I don't think our district did, but many kids were absent.

 

[emdav]

Utah schools take a Thursday and Friday in October off for the teacher's convention. It's usually the second weekend, known affectionately as UEA.

 

[staley7580]

My experience (growing up in the Bay Area and living as an adult in the pac NW), and what I've learned here, has been the exact opposite!





We could all just call it a holiday for my birthday....

My kids never get off for Columbus Day.. I never did either. My kids WERE off this year, but it was some sort of teacher training day.

 

[scrapquitler]

Seriously? I live in Colorado and I've never heard of this! I also think it's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard!

We own some property in Vermont, and the schools in that town have one Friday a month during ski season where they have early dismissal so the kids can go skiing (no lights on the mountain, lifts close at 4 so without that early dismissal, the only chance they'd get to ski would be with the crowds on the weekends). Oh, and the ski area gives season passes to the kids in high school who were on the honor roll all year the previous year.

 

[scrapquitler]

Oh, I forgot to mention that in (all districts) Vermont, they get the first Monday (or maybe it's Tuesday?) of March off from school for Town Meeting Day. Possibly also in New Hampshire.


And in my town in CT, we have Election Day off because they use the school gyms for the polling places. There's enough extra traffic and people in and out of the building that for security and parking reasons, it's easier for students to not be in the building at that point.

 

[Pembo]

The priest's birthday

 

[kaytieeldr]

They still do but now it's combined with the April Vacation week.

That is an odd thing about New England instead of one spring break, most schools get a Mid Winter Vacation (February - President's Day Week) and Spring Vacation (April - Patriot's Day Week).

Our school has District Curriculum Reconciliation Day - It's the Tuesday after Columbus Day. So, my kids had a four day weekend this weekend.

And at least for now, schools in Suffolk County in Massachusetts get, um, Evacuation Day off. Coincidentally, that's March 17 every year.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

We own some property in Vermont, and the schools in that town have one Friday a month during ski season where they have early dismissal so the kids can go skiing (no lights on the mountain, lifts close at 4 so without that early dismissal, the only chance they'd get to ski would be with the crowds on the weekends). Oh, and the ski area gives season passes to the kids in high school who were on the honor roll all year the previous year.

interesting. My family loves to ski, but I still think it's dumb. Here, the kids have to ski on the weekends with the crowds. Just like their parents who work during the week. Except that some families will pull kids out of school a couple of days here and there to go skiiing.

'Course, we are far enough away (an hour's drive from the closest) from the ski areas that closing school early wouldn't be a big help. Most people like to get an early start and get to the lifts as they open, so they'd have to close the school for the whole day, to really give the kids a ski day. But to me, it's just a recreational activity, and I don't see any more point in closing early for skiing, than I do in closing early to let the kids play tag.

Here, all 5th graders get free passes. Guess they think that's the best age to hook them on the sport. (Though mine got hooked much younger!)