Superintendent message

[MillCreek]

Thanks, Kim, for all you do..... I appreciate your efforts

[brown*eyed*girl]

I think the issue is that you have not provided alternate day care services for the day.

 

 

LOL I so wish I hadn't already used all my positives for the day. I would have spit out my coffee if I had any when I read this.

[doolaniv]

for some reason this post has hit a nerve with me.

 

first of all a parent should always have a back up sitter for occasions like this.

 

second of all the BOE is more concerned with the child's safety and their employees safety then a parent who is worried about a baby sitter.

 

I know parents have to work, I know that when school is out unexpectedly that it puts parents in a bind, but at least one time a year school is called so parents should have a back up plan and not count on the school to always be open.

 

This has always puzzled me on how SOME parents depend on the school system to watch their child while they work.

 

when I worked I always had a back up sitter for times like this.

[workingforaliving]

I still haven't gotten THE call. A coworker texted me to find out if the reports were true. It was 9am and I was about to walk out the door since a 2 hour delay changes reporting time to 9:45 and I had to drop the kiddo off at daycare. I called my sister and she was about to put the kiddo out at the bus stop.

 

 

I wonder how many are in route because they thought the 2 hour delay was the final word.

[HawkeyeAngel]

Thanks for posting the info.

 

I'm sure a lot of the frustrations listed out here are not in your direct control, but you can certainly make the appropriate staff aware of the concerns and evaluate if there are opportunities for improvement that are reasonable to implement.

 

Thank you.

 

 

I will definately pass the information to the central office and citizens are welcome to do so also. The organizational chart of administration is on the PCSD site for any concerns that need to be communicated. Thank you for your understanding.

[brown*eyed*girl]

PCom needs a like button.

 

Very well said.

 

Great idea! It is not even 10 am and I am all out of positives to give out (and negatives for that matter )

[michelay1000]

the BOE is more concerned with the child's safety and their employees safety then a parent who is worried about a baby sitter.

Come on LR, you know some people always have to have something to complain about. If they would have kept the 2 hour delay someone would accuse the board of endangering their kids lives

[MillCreek]

Come on LR, you know some people always have to have something to complain about. If they would have kept the 2 hour delay someone would accuse the board of endangering their kids lives

 

 

:clapping: :clapping:

[DonBrownJr]

hey guys... while it would be nice to get the county website updated, you all seem to be depend and rely on the robo calls, and we usually hear about these things on P.com before anywhere else...

 

WSB is the official source for closings and delays. TV, radio, or website. Everyone has access to one of these outlets. The robo calls, and even the county website are not considered the official notification. As a coincidence, while typing this, the robo call just came.

[Mariposa]

When I checked the website at 8:46 (yes I looked) it was showing that schools were closed. Maybe you need to refresh your page, I don't know why yours didn't show it.

 

 

I think you may have been looking at the calendar to right that shows the calendar for school holidays and not the weather related announcement at the bottom of the page

[ignoreme]

I give them credit for making the decision, even as last minute as it was. That tells me that they are actually listening to their people instead of being stuck on their earlier decisions. Situations like this absolutely can be fluid and you can bet they knew they'd catch grief for the last minute change but if they were getting reports of dangerous road conditions still existing, they absolutely did the right thing.

[Sugail]

I am thankful for pcom because I just now got the call that schools are closed today.

[workingforaliving]

Just got my call....7 minutes AFTER I was supposed to be there. Thank goodness my coworkers contacted me!

[ignoreme]

Calling post doesn't always work properly.

[goldenbriar63]

Wow. Every parent knew last night that there were 3 options: go to school at the regular time, have a delay or have no school at all. Last night was the time to make your plans. Get over yourselves and quit your b--complaining. Having lived in Ohio, I can tell you that people up there had the same attitudes, and delays and closings occurred frequently. Yes, decisions always seem to be made at a slower pace than the parents feel is reasonable. Yes, the parents have to make arrangements that they feel is last minute. That is the nature of the weather. Live with it, deal with it, and move on.

[Veritas]

hey guys... while it would be nice to get the county website updated, you all seem to be depend and rely on the robo calls, and we usually hear about these things on P.com before anywhere else...

 

WSB is the official source for closings and delays. TV, radio, or website. Everyone has access to one of these outlets. The robo calls, and even the county website are not considered the official notification. As a coincidence, while typing this, the robo call just came.

Agreed. By definition, even robo calls will take a while, since there are 30,000 students and 3000 employees who must be called, many of whom have both home and cell numbers to be called. That means that more than 50,000 calls to be made electronically, as quickly as possible. Even electronically, that can take more than an hour.

 

When the news is featuring some school systems delayed and others closed, folks needs to keep those TVs and radios on for updates, even as they get ready for the day, as sometime conditions change.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Veritas

[stbarts]

I just got the call at 9:53

 

Luckily I had already seen it on the news

 

Highschools will have a mess with their exam schedules . But better safe than sorry .

We don't need these teens driving on the ice

[workingforaliving]

Agreed. By definition, even robo calls will take a while, since there are 30,000 students and 3000 employees who must be called, many of whom have both home and cell numbers to be called. That means that more than 50,000 calls to be made electronically, as quickly as possible. Even electronically, that can take more than an hour.

 

When the news is featuring some school systems delayed and others closed, folks needs to keep those TVs and radios on for updates, even as they get ready for the day, as sometime conditions change.

That's what got me. I got the 2 hour delay robocall at 6:45am....I didn't expect things to change within 90 minutes.

 

My kiddo was watching cartoons so I didn't have the news on like I normally do while I'm getting ready in the morning.

 

:shrug:

 

It's all good though.

[moonmyyst13]

I think in this case it should be said... don't shoot the messenger!!

 

it might be helpful if someone had time to explain to those of us who don't know the hierarchy of the school board who makes the decisions and a little about what goes in to the decision. then maybe we can understand a little better.

 

thank you kim for posting what you were able when you were able.

 

I agree about not expecting the school system to provide babysitting. when the weather started turning yesterday afternoon, we all knew there was a chance that schools would be closed. at that time, people with children young enough to need a sitter should have gotten on the phone with grandma, sister, neighbor, kids playmates mom.... someone... and said "if the schools close tomorrow can you watch.....? I still need to head in to work"... that way you have someone lined up "if"...

 

I am lucky.... my youngest is a junior so dont have to worry about a sitter and wont have to worry about it at all in a year and a half!!

 

I just hope this is not a repeat of last winter when it seemed like we had to go through this every week or two!!!

Edited December 16, 2010 by moonmyyst13

[NewsJunky]

Once again I have to say "Thank You Kim Cobb". You are always kind enough to post the info that parents need to know and have asked for.

[Tennesseewalker]

I for one would like to thank Kim Cobb for her post of updated information. And her continued dedication to the BOE.

 

We all have our opinions of the way we would handle it, or how we think they (the ones that the county voted in to make the decisions) should handle it. I for one would have called it last night before 10pm. I think that would have controlled some of the confusion for this morning. However, I do not know all the steps it takes to make these decisions or the details needed to make the final decision. I am so thankful that safety was the NUMBER ONE concern this morning! And frankly I don't care how many people are upset that schools are closed today. I would rather risk a last minute up roar. Than to risk the life of a precious child, bus driver, teacher, staff member, parent, ETC. If the decision had of been carry on with school today and a tragedy had of occurred. Who would be to blame? The BOE? I think they would rather have people upset with their last minute calls or website updates. Then to have taken a chance on someone being injured or even worse! So even though I agree that the last minute decision was a big inconvenience for many. I do believe that the final result was WORTH it! My child is snuggled safe and warm in her bed still sleeping. JMO

Edited December 16, 2010 by Tennesseewalker

[NY Gal]

Remember back in the "olden days" when we could only find out if school was closed by getting up at 6 am and watching the news or listening to the radio. Nowadays, we have it easy!

 

I am curious however. I got the 2 hour delay post on my home phone last night, and my husband and I both got the closed post on our cellphones (although our home number is our contact number). I wonder how/why that happened?

[gibsonbabyicon]

Thanks Kim. I still haven't received the calling post either but my mom called me to let me know schools were closed. I see there are people that have got their panties in a bunch because they think that the school district wasn't fast enough to let them know. Nobody knew the roads were going to be icy last night and I would rather them cancel school and not go to work, then to send my kids on a bus and it slips on ice and gets into an accident. People need to have back up sitters just in case things like this happen.

 

I'm from New York and my son went to Catholic School up there. Sometimes the news wouldn't know when the Archdiocese schools were closed and I'd travel about an hr and a half by train just to find out the school was closed but I had a babysitter on standby and extra funds just in case so I could pay her on the spot. Stop relying on the school district. Things happen.

[HawkeyeAngel]

Thanks to all of you. Again, none of us could do this without a word of thanks or encouragement every once in a while.

 

While others are working to promote their own family's financial future and chose NOT to serve or CANNOT, some people are stepping up to serve and help others' children as well as our community. I am with my children today unexpectedly also and I am going to appreciate every minute of it before they are adults.

 

THAT is why I chose to be a parent. That should always come before $$$$$. God blessed me with them and He will provide for us.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Kim Cobb PCSB Post 3

[gwilli8866]

I think you may have been looking at the calendar to right that shows the calendar for school holidays and not the weather related announcement at the bottom of the page

 

 

Not unless the calendar says "Due to inclement weather, schools are CLOSED". I CAN read the website. The announcement that I saw was at the top of the page.

[weatherboy]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

 

Lppt I don't think that this is funny. My daughter lost about three hours of work because of this. All people don't have a computer and the tv said that the Paulding County schools would be two hours late starting. So my daughter waited the two hours and drove my grandson to school and was told after she arrived at school that there was no school today. On the way back she got the call on her phone that school was called off today. Make all of the excuses that you want for the school board but common sense should have told everyone last night that school should have been called off today. Losing three hours of pay is not funny when you need money to pay your bills.

[smy34]

I think that we do need to understand that not everybody has a laptop, iphone, fax machine and so on with High Speed DSL. I think this issue would have solved itself had we had county employees with trucks out covering the county at 3 and 4 am. We also pay for the PCSO, who could have provided the BOE with their opinion. We have a great group out all night that could have told Mr. Cole what they saw and expected to see before sunrise. But, evidently we did not used that resource.

Edited December 16, 2010 by smy34

[markdavd]

The weather reports I was hearing last night left a better than even chance the temp would rise enough that the roads would be clear at sunrise.

 

That alone means making the call to cancel last night would have been premature. Nobody could really know what the roads would be like until the sun comes up, which means the 2 hour delay was the smartest move to make.

 

The schools are going all out to notify everyone in a timely manner. I've been getting calling post calls all morning, I've heard about it on the radio and read about it here. It simply comes down to if someone doesn't want to be proactive and listen to the news on radio or TV, why does it become school's problem?

 

I can't wait until the bill for the Calling Post service comes in to see who complains about the cost.

[michelay1000]

Not everyone has an iphone, laptop, etc... until it's time to come here to complain.

[matthewspiglet]

Not everyone has an iphone, laptop, etc... until it's time to come here to complain.

So true. I wish i just gotten the call before i left to take my daughter to school this morning. LOL i found out the hard way

[Sugail]

There was more than just ice on the roads to consider, there were all the abandoned cars left everywhere that would make it hard for the buses to get around. Plus there were families that didn't even make it home until late last night because of the icy roads. Also, not everyone has family or friends around that they can just snap their fingers and have an immediate baby sitter. It is very stressful when you have to work, and no one can afford to lose their job right now, and you don't know for sure what you are going to do with your children. OTOH the schools are under pressure because of the finals being scheduled today and tomorrow and the break coming up for the holidays.

[markdavd]

So true. I wish i just gotten the call before i left to take my daughter to school this morning. LOL i found out the hard way

You don't have a radio?

[hart408]

Some of y'all are harsh.

 

I don't blame the system for having to close the schools (and for making sure it was absolutely necessary), but I still feel badly for the people who had tough decisions this morning. I remember a time when I needed every $20 I could earn.

 

The closing didn't affect most of us negatively, but some people have it a little harder. If someone went to bed early last night and they were in a rush this morning, I can see how they might have missed that 30 minute window of notification between when school was actually called off and when they needed to get on the road.

 

Many of the people I contacted this morning were either in the shower or already on the road if they had to drop off kids before work. I don't blame them for being frustrated any more than I blame the school system. I had work to do today, so I wasn't thrilled either. Tomorrow I start off 8 hours behind. I haven't even started to think about how/when we have to make this day up or lose more pay because of it...

[FreeBird]

I am happy with the way the closing was handled. After getting up at 6:30 and hearing on the scanner the SO deputies calling in that they were closing roads due to ice, I knew the school system would be closing school too. I am surprised it took them until 8:00 to do so.

[Cabe]

Thanks for posting the info.

 

I'm sure a lot of the frustrations listed out here are not in your direct control, but you can certainly make the appropriate staff aware of the concerns and evaluate if there are opportunities for improvement that are reasonable to implement.

 

Thank you.

 

Maybe those who are frustrated should personally share their frustrations with someone who has the situation in their control. Why would you ask someone else to do that on your behalf? Obviously, none of it was in Ms. Cobb's control.

[lowrider]

I just don't understand all of this.........

 

I had the news on, FOX5 like always.

 

I heard them announce it as soon as it came in that Paulding Schools were closed. They repeated it and then scrawled it across the bottom.

 

Heck, I don't even have kids and I knew school was closed a little after 8:30, when I was leaving for work.

 

I called my daughter to let her know.

[overit]

Thanks to all of you. Again, none of us could do this without a word of thanks or encouragement every once in a while.

 

While others are working to promote their own family's financial future and chose NOT to serve or CANNOT, some people are stepping up to serve and help others' children as well as our community. I am with my children today unexpectedly also and I am going to appreciate every minute of it before they are adults.

 

THAT is why I chose to be a parent. That should always come before $$$$$. God blessed me with them and He will provide for us.

 

 

What ever happened to professionalism? You are some kind of classy. Your comments in this post are snide, rude, and hollier than thou.

 

Some people really have to work for every penny they can, not everyone comes from money!! Selfish? I think not, they are putting food on the table, buying, clothes, etc. Using your words...being a parent is a thankless job. But parents love their children and want the best for them.

 

I am going to leave it at that. I apperciate you posting school were closed, the rest is complete nonsense.

[smy34]

Lets see, we are supposed to be glued to all TV stations at 8:30am to look and see that schools were closed, when the BOE made the decision to delay. Teachers, lunchroom workers already either at school or going. We evidently as I said earlier, did not use resources of the PCSO to find out about the conditions or roads around 4am or so. And, we chose to serve on the board, I truly remember Kim asking for my vote, really at least lets you know she is available, but complain to powers that be....anyone can see that problems existed. As the DOT commissioner said today, we need to do a better job with where we get our information and we apologize for everyone being stranded. He evidently will work on doing a better job. Robo calls, oh well, I will end on that. When you cancel school, why call back and say everything after 5pm is cancelled...Duh...I think we have a vacancy at Transporation, maybe they need to fill that position very soon....

[cherokeewoman]

Thanks to all of you. Again, none of us could do this without a word of thanks or encouragement every once in a while.

 

While others are working to promote their own family's financial future and chose NOT to serve or CANNOT, some people are stepping up to serve and help others' children as well as our community. I am with my children today unexpectedly also and I am going to appreciate every minute of it before they are adults.

 

THAT is why I chose to be a parent. That should always come before $$$$$. God blessed me with them and He will provide for us.

 

I for one was glad of your post last night, kind of surprised, no one had ever talked about with parents the thoughts of a delay of school, so that was a surprise, usually Paulding County waits till the last minute in the am to decide to close or not..... so most parents saw this on the news made accomodations... for this situation, made plans to go in late, etc... I in my common sense knew the buses would not run by the delayed time, there were stranded cars in the middle of our road last night.... how could a bus get thru? This I am sure was all over the county...

 

Yes parenting for most does come before money, but in this day and time, not all are as lucky as you... assuming your finances are great right before Christmas, or that you have an understanding boss that will allow you freely to take a day off because your child is out of school unexpected at 10am in the morning after you told them you would just be in late... Not all parents are so lucky it is not money before parenting, it is money to put food on the table, to pay the electric bill, and hopefully not loose a well needed job... so don't bash the parents that can't serve, because they have to work... you seem to be blessed to do what you do and work, not all are...

Be thankful for that... not many can do what you seem to do, so don't bash the ones that need their jobs to make ends meet... You always do well letting us know what is going on, but don't judge parents by your standards, you are obviously much better off than most....

Parents in this economic time are doing the best they can by their families, just feel blessed that you are in a good situation, that you can take the day and don't have to worry about loosing your job.... don't judge.....

My kids were lucky cause they could just drop the grandkids by my house this morning, but not all had that luck.

Edited December 17, 2010 by cherokeewoman

[HawkeyeAngel]

Thanks to all of you. Again, none of us could do this without a word of thanks or encouragement every once in a while.

 

While others are working to promote their own family's financial future and chose NOT to serve or CANNOT, some people are stepping up to serve and help others' children as well as our community. I am with my children today unexpectedly also and I am going to appreciate every minute of it before they are adults.

 

THAT is why I chose to be a parent. That should always come before $$$$$. God blessed me with them and He will provide for us.

 

I for one was glad of your post last night, kind of surprised, no one had ever talked about with parents the thoughts of a delay of school, so that was a surprise, usually Paulding County waits till the last minute in the am to decide to close or not..... so most parents saw this on the news made accomodations... for this situation, made plans to go in late, etc... I in my common sense knew the buses would not run by the delayed time, there were stranded cars in the middle of our road last night.... how could a bus get thru? This I am sure was all over the county...

 

Yes parenting for most does come before money, but in this day and time, not all are as lucky as you... assuming your finances are great right before Christmas, or that you have an understanding boss that will allow you freely to take a day off because your child is out of school unexpected at 10am in the morning after you told them you would just be in late... Not all parents are so lucky it is not money before parenting, it is money to put food on the table, to pay the electric bill, and hopefully not loose a well needed job... so don't bash the parents that can't serve, because they have to work... you seem to be blessed to do what you do and work, not all are...

Be thankful for that... not many can do what you seem to do, so don't bash the ones that need their jobs to make ends meet... You always do well letting us know what is going on, but don't judge parents by your standards, you are obviously much better off than most....

Parents in this economic time are doing the best they can by their families, just feel blessed that you are in a good situation, that you can take the day and don't have to worry about loosing your job.... don't judge.....

My kids were lucky cause they could just drop the grandkids by my house this morning, but not all had that luck.

 

 

I am sorry if it seemed there was bashing. That was NOT the intent. Just trying to put a positive spin on having time with children rather than focusing on the negative stresses of trying to juggle it all. It seemed that some were mad about not having enough time or back up plans. There was nothing I personally could do about that but I can try to make lemonade out of a few lemons. That was the only intent. Sorry.

 

I can understand the frustration of being needed two places at once. I just wanted to focus on the joys parenting even when arrangements have to be changed at the last minute. ....... I TELL myself that when I have laundry to do also...... I am thankful to have children to do laundry for so I try to not complain but maybe I shouldn't have shared that much..... I will remember that next time Thanks for sharing and hopefully if there is a next time we will have beautiful SNOW instead of ice!!!!