The snow is here!

[emily1982]

Thankfully no more snow.It is all now a thick sheet of ice,so,so slippery out there.My girls returned to school+nursery today,poor Emily slipped twice on the way there but she's fine.
I am not a happy bunny today.I had been trying since 7am to find out if Chloe was back to school,as the phones have been constantly engaged since Monday as they had taken the phones off the hook,so after 25mins of trying i assumed another day off school.So i left the girls in bed asleep.I noticed about 8-30am-as i got the girls up,that some schol kids were going past-so i rang the school+it was still engaged-i managed to get thru at 8-45am+they told me that school was open.I explained that i would'nt be able to get Chloe in for 9-10am and will get her there asap.Anyway i got her in for 9-50am+they issued her with a LATE MARK-i was absolutley fuming.I explained about the phone situation+explained that i had once again tried ringing this morning+no luck+i was told that the secretary was in at 7am+everyone was phoning,thats why the phones were engaged.I explained that the phones gad been constantly engaged since Monday+thats when they told me that they took the phone of the hook-so i said how was i supposed to know the difference between the phone off the hook+people on the phone this morning.
I am mad because i pride myself in my girls being at school on time(my girls have never had a late mark),and never having a day off unless it is absolutley necessary+now it will go on her report.Am i being touchy?,sorry to rant+rave-i had to let it out.It just annoys me that there's one person in particular+yes she is a friend that refuses to take her children to school if it's raining or she don't feel well+she managed to get her son in on time-argggghghhhhhhhhh.x.

Schools round here ring the local radio station if their closed, to discourage parents phoning it then gets announced repeatedly and also put on their website...prehaps you could ask them if they could think of starting to do that. It does work well and stops all the calls. Also the local council puts school closures on their website too.

 

[wickesy]

I don't think you're being touchy at all Michelle. You would think under the current circumstances they would be understanding and not issue any late marks until everything settles back to normal.

Sending you lots of to make you feel better.

 

[wilma-bride]

Well, I haven't been able to go into work again today. It is a nightmare here in Wiltshire - apparently the local council has run out of grit so none of the roads were gritted yesterday. As a result my two main routes into work today were absolutely trecherous and I managed to spin my car off the road. After two hours of getting precisely nowhere, I gave up and came home. Work weren't quite so sympathetic today but, given that I've got a 30 mile journey, I think they will have to accept that it's not worth me risking my car - or my life - just to get in.

More snow predicted for tonight but I sincerely hope we don't get any as I can see them taking a dim view if I don't make it again tomorrow.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Thanks guys+gals,i thought some of you may think i was being a little over the top.
I was constantly on the School's own website+nothing had been posted at all.
I was constantly on our local council site,Mon-it said ALL schools were closed-which i knew as i got thru about 7-10am+the secretary said they had made the decision to close as 90% of there teachers can't get in).Tues-it told you to phone individual schools to find out anything(as i said i tried)at 4pm the council updated there website to say ALL schools will be closed for another day-yes i guessed that after phoning for nearly an hour in the morning+constantly hearing the engaged tone,i also kept phoning throughout the day as well.Today-there telling you to ring individual again.
Apart from phoning my girls nursery+school(they go to different ones-but next door to each other)there was no way of knowing anything,i was completley in the dark on knowing when they would be returning to school(i know i am not the only one-everyone would be in the same posistion).

Forgot to say that Emily got into nursery 5 mins earlier than Chloe+when i asked about a late mark for her,they said they were not issuing any as it would'nt be fair.
I did mention this to the secretary of Chloe's school+she just replied with 'are'nt they'.

I am deffinatley going to have a word with the head teacher+explain the situation as i honestly don't think it is fair that Chloe should be given a late mark(also others as well who may have been given them).

Thanks for listening to this whinge-bag.x.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Michelle I think to give a late mark is out of order esp as due to the snow and icy conditions you have to walk slower to school. It took us 20mins to get to school today when it usually takes 10.

 

[Pinky166]

Michelle, I hope you manage to get it sorted with the Head teacher. They seem to be being very unreasonable about it.

Well, I haven't been able to go into work again today. It is a nightmare here in Wiltshire - apparently the local council has run out of grit so none of the roads were gritted yesterday. As a result my two main routes into work today were absolutely trecherous and I managed to spin my car off the road. After two hours of getting precisely nowhere, I gave up and came home. Work weren't quite so sympathetic today but, given that I've got a 30 mile journey, I think they will have to accept that it's not worth me risking my car - or my life - just to get in.

More snow predicted for tonight but I sincerely hope we don't get any as I can see them taking a dim view if I don't make it again tomorrow.

It is definately not worth the risk Joh. I hope you don't get anymore snow and that your employer is a bit more understanding.

 

[wickesy]

Work weren't quite so sympathetic today but, given that I've got a 30 mile journey, I think they will have to accept that it's not worth me risking my car - or my life - just to get in.

That's exactly my view Joh, my health and safety is more important than my obligations to work. Hope things are easier for you tomorrow.

 

[emily1982]

Well if you've seen that nice little blob of snow which is due to land tonight, my house is right in the middle of it!!!!

 

[Snowy-girls]

When i picked Chloe up from school earlier,i went into the office to ask to speak to the Headmistress,an appt was made for me for after school on Friday.x.

Joh,hope you were ok after you spun your car.Good luck for tomorrow.x.

Emily-i hope it does'nt hit too bad tonight.We're supposed to be getting more Thur+Fri-i hope not.x.

 

[CHEK]

When i picked Chloe up from school earlier,i went into the office to ask to speak to the Headmistress,an appt was made for me for after school on Friday.x.

Joh,hope you were ok after you spun your car.Good luck for tomorrow.x.

Emily-i hope it does'nt hit too bad tonight.We're supposed to be getting more Thur+Fri-i hope not.x.

Hope the Headmistress has a sympathetic ear for you and the other parent's Michelle. I don't think the children should have been given a late mark, the school need to make sure they have a better way of communicating in these situations
Good luck

And everyone else who's struggling with the weather, take care and keep well and safe

 

[PoppyAnna]

Michelle,
Like yours, My DD's school has been terrible, I totally sympathise with you.
I have relied on text messages from other Mums (most of the time in other year groups) as to whether my DD should go to school or not. The school has a website, which hasn't been updated and an automated switchboard which option 7 is daily update messages, this hasn't once been updated either. We went to school today, and when we got there the Head was talking to the teachers and decided to NOT open the school today! The Heads reason for not updating web an phone was that somebody has to be onsite to do it - rubbish! I think her school were caught completely of guard. It is only due to a few parents that suggested staying to clear paths from fire exits that the school is opening tomorrow. After doing that the head tried to get the parents to clear the car park for the teachers to park in tomorrow! The parent that suggested it stayed the idea said to me that the school's female caretaker wasn't coping, I can well believe it as I'm not impressed with the general upkeep of the school grounds, and apart from one teacher making tea, none of them were helping!
If the teachers had been prepared to have the children in the hall they would have got more parents help. The Head and Teachers didn't seem to be able to adapt the way the school operates for a day of two - they still wanted everything done as it always is.
The head called the council today to come and clear the car park and public walkways to the school - why was this not done yesterday in prep for today?
They made a decision at 3pm today that school would open tomorrow.
My DD needs a Tonsilectomy and we decided to go privately so we could book a half time date as to minimise the time off school, wish I hadn't have bothered now after the attitude I witnessed today.
I've loved having her off, and we have had lots of fun, but her education should come first.

 

[natalielongstaff]

but her education should come first.

you are right, our school has opened throughout and i suspect they will again tomorrow however lots of parents didn't send there kids and now our head has sent home a letter saying that its up to the parents if they send the kids or not any no sanctions will be applied. thats me taking time off for holidays whenever i want then !

 

[Snowy-girls]

Joanne i see where your coming from,and in reading this post+others of yours,you(i believe)have the same view as me when it comes to education.I am a stickler at that,to the point where i was told today to 'lighten up' it was only 2 days school they missed.I can understand school being a no-go on Monday,but not yesterday.
I would'nt be complaining about this late mark if it was MY fault for say not leaving home earlier to get my girls to school because of having to walk on thick ice,but the fact that i never even found out school was open until 8-45am.
I will be saying this on Friday+also how they handled it,or did'nt handle it.There has been no grit laid on either of the playgrounds,car park,or walkways up to the schools entrance.
Chloe told me today that at dinner time they were made to go out in the playground.

I can't believe your Headteachers attitude,i really can't.

I also loved having my chldren home,i really do miss them when Monday comes around-but yes education comes first,snowmen can be made after school.x.

 

[natalielongstaff]

Joanne i see where your coming from,and in reading this post+others of yours,you(i believe)have the same view as me when it comes to education.I am a stickler at that,to the point where i was told today to 'lighten up' it was only 2 days school they missed.I can understand school being a no-go on Monday,but not yesterday.
I would'nt be complaining about this late mark if it was MY fault for say not leaving home earlier to get my girls to school because of having to walk on thick ice,but the fact that i never even found out school was open until 8-45am.
I will be saying this on Friday+also how they handled it,or did'nt handle it.There has been no grit laid on either of the playgrounds,car park,or walkways up to the schools entrance.
Chloe told me today that at dinner time they were made to go out in the playground.

I can't believe your Headteachers attitude,i really can't.

I also loved having my chldren home,i really do miss them when Monday comes around-but yes education comes first,snowmen can be made after school.x.

The school should have an updated website, ours is updated at 7.30am

i think you should have the late mark removed thats not on !

 

[Snowy-girls]

The school should have an updated website, ours is updated at 7.30am

i think you should have the late mark removed thats not on !

I am so glad that people on here are agreeing with me,i really thought i was making a big issue about this.
As i said in my previous posts,not once was anything on there website+even the councils website was not being updated until school time was over+done with(if they had have been at school)But then that may not have been there fault if they were not getting the info from the school.

Chloe said that she was the only one late in her class+there was about 4 children not in.
Chloe also told me that some of the mums were texting or phoning the other mums(as this is what the secretary asked them to do to spread the word) to tell them that school was open,as this is what her friends told her.Ok fair enough i do keep myself to myself,not rudely or intentionally i do find it very difficult to approach+befriend people BUT 2 of the mums Chloe mentioned have got my phone number.
I am really upset over this,and i know there are worse things going on than my daughter getting a 'late mark' but for someone like me this has really upset me.x.

 

[natalielongstaff]

our school has made the decision to close today, it looks bad out there ! im wondering how many kids will make it to me today ( i have had 1 out of 3 cancel so far! )

Take care today

 

[Laurafoster]

We have quite a bit of snow here but my boss still wants me to go to the London office! (Takes about an hour by train on a good day.
Checked the website and it doesnt appear that trains are running but he still wants me to go to the station!

 

[natalielongstaff]

Checked the website and it doesnt appear that trains are running but he still wants me to go to the station!

thats ridiculous !

 

[mandymouse]

We have quite a bit of snow here but my boss still wants me to go to the London office! (Takes about an hour by train on a good day.
Checked the website and it doesnt appear that trains are running but he still wants me to go to the station!

That's terrible, stay warm Laura

We've had a good covering of snow too. Youngest DD's school is closed, and I doubt eldest DD will bother driving to college in this. So I've got a boring day at home again ~ I am really fed up of the blooming snow

 

[jjk]

we have had a lot of snow again, boys are off school again, Hubby is in Birmingham,wonder if he will get home tonight