Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, which was supposed to be the first day back from Thanksgiving break, turned out to be a snow day for students. The superintendent, Dr. Jeff Beltz, played a big role in getting information and making the final decision on the snow day.
“The first reason is just, simply, transportation and safety. That’s gonna be the main focus of any type of weather delay or cancellation,” Dr. Jeff Beltz, superintendent, said. Many factors contribute to the final decision of calling a snow day, such as road conditions, the present driving conditions, and how much snow actually falls.
“I think the district calendar itself has snow days. At least a couple, one or two baked into the schedule. So, because there was a snow day in it, it made sense. To be quite honest, I personally was actually thrilled that there was snow because so many times we end up with freezing rain, which is the most hazardous driving conditions. And then you have a day off, and kids really can’t even go outside and play anyway. So, personally, for my own satisfaction, it was great to see snow and that the kids could go outside,” Dr. Beltz said. This snow day, students got lucky enough to see snow outside. When school is called off, it is because we have freezing rain or dangerous conditions that could threaten injuries. And a student would need to sit inside.
“There are a variety of other people who come into play with that decision. We touch base with Fry transportation. Mr. Collins lives out in the township, and then ABC. So both of those entities are on the road early. Admittedly, we use the weather forecast to make the determination of a two-hour delay the night before, and anticipation of the snow. But really, until it gets here, you don’t know. We also have our own maintenance and custodial crew that is out working to ensure the campus is clear. And then, I even reached out to the policemen in New Sewickley Township who were on duty to get a little feedback from them and the chief on the road conditions. So there are a variety of people that we touch base with in advance if there were an event,” Dr. Beltz said.
The superintendent is not the only entity that decides whether a snow day is necessary. However, he is in charge of the final decision. The township, the custodial people, law enforcement, and the weather forecast all play a big role in deciding whether to have a snow day or not.
“Personally, it was my first day with students, and we called off. But sometimes there’s that little bit of kid that I see. I was fortunate that it was a true snow day versus a day when students can’t get outside,” Dr. Beltz said. When a snow day comes to mind, you may think of a day to play outside in the snow. Sometimes, snow days are called just to protect people from the harsh environments outside. We were very fortunate to have a good, safe snow day.
