You know those days when everything seems like it’s in fast forward and you’re trying to cram two day’s worth of work into one?
That’s what a typical day after a snow day or a delayed starting time does to teachers in at least one city school. And when the temperature is in the teens, like it has been for a couple of days now, that means no outside recess for kids to blow off some pent-up energy.
For South Side Elementary School first-grade teachers Keisha Fields and Cathi Absalom, that’s the kind of week it’s been.
Having a four-day school week is hard enough when it’s in the school calendar schedule, but it can get stressful when it happens at the last minute because of the weather.
“I feel very stressed in a four-day week, or a 3½-day week,” as this past one turned out to be, Absalom said.
“They’ve actually been remarkably well-behaved under the circumstances,” Absalom said. Lucky for her, the first-graders in Absalom’s class like to have indoor recess because it gives them time for things they don’t normally get to do during instructional time, such as drawing, working puzzles or extra computer time.
“My kids get a little squirrely when we don’t get to go outside for recess,” Fields said.
The general rule for deciding on indoor recess is if it’s raining, if it’s been raining and is too wet to play outside or if it’s below 40 degrees.
Fields said Friday that her class was shocked to learn they’d be going to lunch just an hour after they arrived at school. But with a shortened day — Johnson City Schools started two hours late because of the cold — even lunch has to get squeezed in.
Friday had even more excitement for Absalom’s and Fields’ students because it was the 100th day of school and there were special activities for kindergarten and first grade.
Activities for the day included a scavenger hunt for 100 Life Savers hidden in the classroom, making Fruit Loop necklaces with 10 pieces of the cereal and snack time with 10 different types of food.
All in all, students and teachers made it through the cold week, but some warm sunshine would be welcomed.
“We’re all ready for the warm weather,” Absalom said.