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Fmr. superintendent says calling snow days caused sleepless nights

So how stressful is it to make the call, especially before the snow flies?
Gary Amoroso (Credit: KARE 11)

LAKEVILLE, Minn. - Before the snow even started falling Monday afternoon, school districts cried uncle to Mother Nature, closing all classes and activities for the day.

So how stressful is it to make the call, especially before the snow flies?

Former Lakeville superintendent and current MASA Executive Director Gary Amoroso has some thoughts.

“I was called many things that are not complementary,” Gary said with a smile right out of the gate on Monday when asked how hard it is to call the day based on the forecast.

He also claimed to make that call, was just the worst.

“That was a decision that caused me more sleepless nights and caused more pits in my stomach that any decision I had to make,” Gary said, knowing now those nights are behind him.

No matter what your social media feed tells you today, superintendents know canceling class stinks for parents.

Know what also stinks?

Putting kids on a bus on an icy road.

Don't believe me?

Ask St. Paul’s leaders what happened Jan. 22.

So, back to today, and districts calling it.

The formula Dr. Amoroso used in Lakeville for a decade was this: The forecast of the National Weather Service + the bus drivers' take on the forecast + the city's plan about snow removal and how fast it will get done + what are neighboring districts doing = THE CALL.

The results?

“Regardless of the decisions that superintendents made for today, there will be those that say 'thank you we appreciate that' and those others that will say 'what were you thinking!?'”

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