Snow causes record numbers of absences
Attendance Office Secretaries Karen Thacker (left) and Lovena Glantz (right) take phone calls Wednesday morning, January 22, 2020, from parents excusing students due to weather conditions. Attendance was down significantly after an early-morning snow storm made street conditions hazardous.
“I’m exhausted, my ear hurts, and my hand is cramping,” Attendance Secretary Karen Thacker said in between answering parent phone calls this morning.
Thacker and her partner at the front desk, Lovena Glantz, have been recording absences all morning. It’s 8:45 a.m and already they’ve had “record numbers” of calls.
“I’ve had over 200 so far, and that’s just me,” Glantz said.
“I’m on my second sheet,” Thacker added.
Overflow calls are going to the associate principals’ office secretaries, and they’re not letting up.
The snow is expected to continue the rest of the day with accumulations of 1-2 inches, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Rain mixed with snow will make the afternoon drive home dangerous as well.
Students are asked to consider staying in at lunch time.
The forecast for tomorrow looks about the same.
The girls Freshman Basketball game that was scheduled for this afternoon has been canceled, but the Reserve game is still on at this point.
Stay tuned for updates later in the day.
I would like to see a story about some of the positive link stuff.
Vital Link interview or something???
I think of young children on sidewalks, young drivers and experienced drivers alike on ice and how dangerous weather conditions like this morning can be. I also think of injuries of young and elderly, agile and those with disabilities. When it comes to taking care of ourselves, images of hot cocoa and a day off are not on the top of my list. I called my dad, age 82 with cancer, and told him if he didn’t have to be out, to stay in. I told him it was not worth the risk of driving or walking anywhere. He thanked me. Then he asked what I was going to do on my snow day—that I better stay safe myself. I told him I was almost to Lincoln High after traveling 20 mph. on “O” Street. He was astonished. What he said was fatherly and supportive. What he said was to come home earlier than I usually stay. He asked how bad it has to be for a late start or cancellation.