WHEN WEATHER HITS AND TRAFFIC SNARLS
Woodburn Principal Charlene Brown sent out a mass telephone call at 2:25 today, about an hour after students were supposed to finish school for the day explaining to parents that none of the buses had arrived yet and that it was not clear when the buses would arrive to bring the children home. So the teachers remained with the students in school.
Meanwhile, student walkers had been home for nearly an hour, throwing snowballs and building snowmen.
Consolidating schools means more children have to travel more distances to get home, causing all kinds of problems. Mon Schools has cut its number of elementary schools nearly in half since 1998, while the number of students has increased.
Mon Schools decision to have a 2 hour early dismissal today was a major fail (see comments at WBOY article). Within a half hour of the first flakes, at the latest, it was clear the snow and traffic were going to be major problems, growing worse by the minute. The dismissal should have been immediate, closer to 4 hours early dismissal rather than 2 hours.
Or school should have been cancelled in the first place, given the terrible timing and nature of the anticipated snowfall and freezing.
But why wait for hours to dismiss rather than dismissing immediately? Anyone could see as soon as the snow started to stick, almost immediately, how bad it was going to get and fast, not least given the forecast for snow, snow, snow throughout the afternoon.
Many buses were delayed at least an hour, and more, far more, 3 hours or so. Some buses could not get through at all.
Could all buses complete their runs? No. Were buses sitting in endless traffic? Yes. Were parents forced to pick-up their children because buses could not get through? Yes. And parents were expected to? Yes. To do what the school administration stupidly failed to do. Those are the reports. That’s what happened.
What a mess.
New Woodburn Community School 
January 26, 2011 at 10:20 pm
and who gets the credit for this mess?
January 27, 2011 at 12:32 am
I’ll tell you who’s idea it wasn’t ! The drivers we are smarter than this call. Blame the big cheese not us little dumb bus drivers
January 27, 2011 at 12:53 pm
You’re exactly right Dee 130. Drivers did a fantastic job under the conditions they had to drive in yesterday. but where was the big cheese’s sitting in their offices making excuses and lies to the public when they called in about their buses. maybe the public needs to picket the board office. let the weathermen do there job…….not a super who wants to get his quota in for school days no matter what the expense is to the safety of children or the cost to taxpayers. Another reason he and his staff needs to step down.
January 29, 2011 at 4:17 am
SNOWMAN, If your not busy next week will you come and stand at the window at the transportation center, you may have to knock on the window to get their attention cause we are working hard on our degree on tax payers time,tell him that you are on the way and you will make the roads very hazardous and the childrens safty maybe in danger and they may want to get them home quicker then they did last time you came to visit morgantown wv. Thank you snowman at least you will be concerned for their safty.
January 31, 2011 at 10:35 am
Are you aware that the Board of Education and the Central Office has now posted a new position while cutting 70 teachers and service personnel. This position is called the Director of Ancillary Services – and has a specific person in mind. They must have a BS degree and 5 years administrative experience in Mon. County (posting #2011-063). Does this mean they will be handpicking teachers for Woodburn who only fit their personal agenda????
February 2, 2011 at 7:35 pm
That’s not the half of it! Now that he has his dr degree that he got on comp time watch him get a big raise and a new position. What the hell is going on in this town the board mafia? Hell the legislatiors can’t deal with this situation either.