School delays, closures force parents to adjust their own schedules

PITTSBURGH — Hundreds of schools have canceled or delayed classes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

When the temperatures plummet, making the call to have a snow day or remote learning day varies with each school district. Superintendents and school leaders say it’s not a decision they take lightly and they know parents might have to rearrange their schedule.

Pittsburgh School and Business Closings

As a busy mom of five with kids in both Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and private schools Linda Arnade certainly has her hands full.

“We have five kids ages 11 to almost age two,” said Arnade of Squirrel Hill.

PPS students will be learning from home Tuesday because of the extreme cold.

Arnade said while she and her husband have more flexibility now to stay home with them, it’s not always easy.

“Having kids at home doing remote learning is very time consuming because they ask a lot of questions, especially any kid under eight,” she said. “I would say, any kid under grade 3 who can’t read and write themselves have a lot of questions to ask to help guide their day. It takes up a lot of parents’ time.”

A spokesperson for PPS - the largest district in our region - told Channel 11 road conditions, and the safety of students and staff factor into its decision to have in-person learning.

The wind chill and student safety also play a role into how the Butler Area Schools superintendent makes the call to cancel. Superintendent Brian White told Channel 11′s Antoinette DelBel it’s a huge decision that affects some students who rely on the school’s breakfast program.

School leaders admit it can be challenging for many parents who don’t have many options.

“If they don’t have work from home, I don’t know what they would do,” said Janeria Guinyard of Ross Township. “Even last week, when it was really icy and all that stuff, one of my coworkers had said, ‘I can’t make it in because my kids can’t go to school.’”

Janeria Guinyard’s mother Angela Guinyard said she would rely on family when her daughter had a snow day.

“We’d be like, ‘Grandma, Larry and Cece need to come over, school’s canceled.’ I was blessed to have a grandmother at that time who stayed at home,” Angela Guinyard said. “It’s a huge inconvenience when it does happen if you don’t have that family structure.”

As a kid, Janeria Guinyard, 27, would look forward to snow days.

“We would wake up early in morning before the buses came to see if our school name would be on the news and be like, ‘Oh, it’s cancelled.’ You go right to bed,” Janeria Guinyard said with a laugh.

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