Thread: Thoughts about Snow and Ice and school snow days!

Just came in April and you'll see it indeed!

Originally Posted by Shurick

Just come in April and you'll see it indeed!

April... but, but, but, that is prime Springtime here in Washington and the cherry blossoms are out and it's my birthday and all

[video:yni39plm]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh9AzRfDg4c[/video:yni39plm]

A few observations:
President O'Bama talked about his kids going to school when it snowed in Chicago. He keeps the heat set to 75°f/24°c "Because he's from Hawaii". I thought he might go Democrat with a fire-side chat and a Jimmy Carter sweater.
I have visited the DC area during this time of year and don't understand how badly they deal with snow. My brother quotes John F. Kennedy: "Washington DC is a city with Northern charm and Southern efficiency".
My teacher friend in Izhevsk thought I was kidding when I asked her about snow days. The Russian kids that come here in the summer don't understand school buses, I think because most come from cities. There are no city buses or any form of public transportation on Cape Cod, so they are necessary. Parents joke "I walked to school every day in the snow, uphill both ways!". There aren't many snow days here, the weather is very strange because the ocean surrounds us. Usually there is less snow than the mainland, but sometimes more because the warm ocean meets cold air and we get buried.

Vocabulary word: "Short bus". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_bus

Wow! All this fine English on the MR forum! I'm going to dust off my Russian grammar and dictionary and s-l-o-w-l-y work my way back. The local university stopped teaching Russian and I became even lazier.....

But all this excellent English has inspired me.

I live in Florida, but further north than Jive Professor (most people do not realize that Florida is 500 miles/805 km long). Soon after we moved here, it really did snow - we went cross-country skiing (катание на лыжах по ровной местности ?) on the beach for one morning, until it melted!

We have been here for more than 20 years, and it has not snowed again.....yet!

P. S. Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Originally Posted by capecoddah

The Russian kids that come here in the summer don't understand school buses, I think because most come from cities.

Would you please explain this for me? Is there an exchange program of some sort for these kids to visit the area?

Originally Posted by capecoddah

Vocabulary word: "Short bus". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_bus

I never knew that these buses had a special name! A number of private schools in our area also use them.

capecoddah! Thanks for teaching me soooo much about your area of the world! I have been to Massachusetts before; however, just never to Cape Code and I never knew that you did not get so much snow in your area.
http://www.capecodchamber.org/

Please tell me, have you ever been to A.D. Makepeace Company or the other cranberry farms? One of my goals in life is to experience a real cranberry bog! I see the photos and videos every year and the colors look so amazing to me.

http://www.admakepeace.com/
[video:1iztops8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENaPmfJtdcE[/video:1iztops8]

Originally Posted by Winifred

Wow! All this fine English on the MR forum! I'm going to dust off my Russian grammar and dictionary and s-l-o-w-l-y work my way back. I live in Florida, but further north than Jive Professor (most people do not realize that Florida is 500 miles/805 km long).

Winifred!

Yes, the most frightening thing to me about MR, is not the fact that I don't know any Russian; but, having Russians correct my English! I actually thought they were teasing me at first and really were all just American/British expats in Russia.

Florida... yes, it is a very "tall/long" state. My daughters and I traveled by train from Washington to Florida (Palm Beach Area) last summer to visit my 105 year old grandmother (my dad and step mom too). It seemed to take longer to travel through Florida than the rest of the other states all combined!

Best of luck with getting back to your Russian studies!!!!

Rockzmom.

Next question related to this topic.... What about school holidays!!!!

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, our schools system mandates that there be 180 days of instruction per school year. Yet to parents, there always seems to be school holidays or half days (note, a half day does count towards the 180 of instruction).

Today, February 16, is one of those days. Today all schools in our county are closed in honor of "President's Day." When I was growing up, we actually did not call it President's Day, we called it, Washington's Birthday. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington's_Birthday

My question to the group is this: DO they have these same types of non or half school days in your countries?

Anyway, to give you an idea of just how MANY days I am speaking about, here is a list of all the days or half days during this school year that my children will NOT be in school and remember, school started on August 26th

Sep. 1 Monday Holiday—Labor Day Offices & schools closed
Sept. 29 Monday Grading/planning Early release day K-12; students dismissed after lunch.
Sept. 30 Tuesday Rosh Hashanah No school for students and teachers
Oct. 9 Thursday Yom Kippur No school for students and teachers
Oct. 17 Friday MSTA Convention No school for students and teachers
Nov. 3 Monday Professional day for teachers No school for students. Some 10-month employees work.
Nov. 4 Tuesday Holiday—General Election Offices & schools closed
Nov. 11 Tuesday Parent conferences. Report cards distributed. Early release day K-8; students dismissed after lunch.
Nov. 12 Wednesday Parent conferences Early release day K-8; students dismissed after lunch.
Nov. 26 Wednesday Day before Thanksgiving Early release day K-12; students dismissed after lunch.
Nov. 27-28 Thursday & Friday Holidays—Thanksgiving Offices & schools closed
Dec. 24-25 Wednesday & Thursday Holidays—Christmas Offices & schools closed
Dec. 26, 29-31 Friday, Monday-Wednesday Winter break No school for students and teachers
Jan. 1 Thursday Holiday—New Year's Day Offices & schools closed
Jan. 2 Friday Winter break No school for students and teachers
Jan. 19 Monday Holiday—Martin L. King, Jr., Day Offices & schools closed
Jan. 20 Tuesday Holiday—Presidential Inauguration Offices & schools closed (this was the first time this ever happened)
Jan. 26 Monday Professional day for teachers No school for students. Some 10-month employees work
Feb. 16 Monday Holiday—Presidents' Day Offices & schools closed
Feb. 27 Friday Grading/planning Early release day K-12; students dismissed after lunch.
Mar. 30 Monday Professional day for teachers No school for students
Apr. 6-9 Monday-Thursday Spring break No school for students and teachers
Apr. 10 & 13 Friday & Monday Holidays—Easter (Note: Passover begins at sundown on April 8th) Offices & schools closed
May 25 Monday Holiday—Memorial Day Offices & schools closed
Jun. 16 Tuesday Last day of school for students Students dismissed after lunch

Originally Posted by rockzmom

...cherry blossoms are out and it's my birthday and all

Thanks for this video, its very kindly, and... there is a good pronunciation... I like it.
".. as a simbol of a frandship between two Countries."

Our school holidays during the “quarters” are only big national holidays scattered through the year. There are four “quarters” of any school year, with short breaks between them when children can enjoy their rest from school.

Originally Posted by Shurick

".. as a symbol of the friendship between the two countries."

Yeah, "non school days" are usually the same as so called "state holidays" (public holidays). Since they often concur with school holidays they are few and between.

The approximate school schedule is:

1st school quater: Sept.1 - Nov.2
AUTUMN HOLIDAYS: Nov.3 - Nov.9

2d school quater: Nov.3-Dec.25
WINTER HOLIDAYS Dec.26-Jan.11

3d school quater: Jan.12-March 21
SPRING HOLIDAYS: March 22-March 29

4th school quater: March 30-May 26 (the last date may differ, but not later than Jun.1st)
SUMMER HOLIDAYS: until Sep.1 (Three months! Yay! )

Non-school days:
1) Feb.23 - "Defender of the Homeland Day"
In fact it's more like "Men's day", and usualy all men (co-workers, relatives, beloved, classmates, teachers, etc.) get presents, regardless of their age)
2) March 8 - Women's day (the same as above, only for women)
3) May 1 - Spring and Labor Day (people traditionally go to barbeque parties ot to "dachas" to tend to their potato patches )
4) May 9 - Victory Day, a huge holiday with parades and such

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Russia

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

WINTER HOLIDAYS Dec.26-Jan.11

This one may also be different in number of Januray days, but no longer than 11 days.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

WINTER HOLIDAYS Dec.26-Jan.11

This one may also be different in number of Januray days, but no longer than 11 days.

My girls would "kill" for a long break like that. Actually, I think they would kill eachother. If you look at the schedule I posted above, they only get off Dec 24-Jan 2. Yours is a nice long break. Do most families go away somewhere or do they stay at home and get on eachothers nerves?

"My Kids" J-1 visa, cultural exchange. 4 months, theoretically 3 to work, 1 to travel. In the 1980's we got Irish kids to work the restaurants and motels. Now Eastern Europeans (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Czech, etc.). The process is insane! Proof of returning is big (school, family, etc.), the Brazilians screwed that up. Can't take jobs from Americans, no chance in Hell that is going to happen, I haven't met an American college kid that would be a maid, they want to be lifeguards and quit when they have to work. Some employers are horrible, they use "head-hunters" to charge kids for jobs. I, on the other hand, am a great boss! I pick the best talent to work with me on 3-11 weekend shift, it can be brutal, but we also watch a lot of baseball (go SOX!), eat pizza and use the pools. My горничная и коридорный get better pay, better bikes and good second jobs. I try to take them fishing, sailing/boating, swimming and a couple days of vacation. I'm changing motels this summer and hope to have a Master Russian alumni working with me.

Cranberry bogs? A-yup, we got em. I think rockmomz video is a bog off Rt 25/495. Bogs are flooded and frozen this year, great skating, flat ice and shallow if you fall in. I go a couple days after they are picked and get a couple 5 gallon buckets of berries. They freeze well and make great muffins and desserts.

Quick Shurick!

Abandon your car NOW and start making hot chocolate!!!!

It just started snowing here again.

Who wants to take bets that the girls basketball game today will be cancelled or that there is either a late school opening or no school tomorrow at all??

Gotta love D.C. in the winter time!

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Quick Shurick!

Abandon your car NOW and start making hot chocolate!!!!

It just started snowing here again.

Who wants to take bets that the girls basketball game today will be cancelled or that there is either a late school opening or no school tomorrow at all??

Gotta love D.C. in the winter time!

Definitely, Americans should start to accustom to snowy weather and stop canceling their activities due to it. Some places are waiting for warming and some for the global cold, so you have to be prepared .

P.S. My bet goes for nothing

Sir Scrabus,

You won the bet for last week, but quess what???

We have ...A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINING IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EST MONDAY.

LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH CAROLINA WILL MOVE UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD THIS EVENING...CREATING A TIGHT GRADIENT OF ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL OVER THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. ACCUMULATING SNOWS HAVE BEGUN TO AFFECT PORTIONS AREAS OF NORTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND. SNOWFALL WILL BE HEAVIEST WITH THIS STORM BETWEEN 8 PM AND 3 AM. SNOWFALL MAY TAPER OFF FOR A PERIOD AFTERWARDS...BEFORE ANOTHER PERIOD OF SNOW OCCURS DURING THE MORNING HOURS. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO END BY MID MORNING MONDAY.

FOR AREAS FROM THE BLUE RIDGE TO INTERSTATE 95 5 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED BY MONDAY MORNING. BETWEEN I-95 AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TOTALS OF 7 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT AND LAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY MONDAY.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

And guess what!!!

ONE SCHOOL has ALREADY posted a delayed opening for TOMORROW!

Nothing has even happened as of yet! No snow outside, no ice, no rain NOTHING! We had a little snow very early this morning, but nothing since then.

THIS IS TOO MUCH!!!!! I am running out to buy bread, milk and toilet paper right now, who knows we may be trapped for DAYS! Oh, and let's not forget the chocholate!

So I am once again taking bets, will my girls be home with me tomorrow????

No school and no work for hubby! Even the Federal Government has a 2 hour delay!!!

I think we should change the lyrics to be "School's out for Snow!"

School's Out (for summer), is a classic song that starts to be sung and played on the raido towards the end of May! Now days, it is once again a song that many "older" folks know and have to teach the younger generations. My daughter's teachers are ALWAYS amazed when they hear them singing this song in the hallways as they are usually the ones who corrupt the other students!

Please let me know is this song known in Russia by students or do you have a similar end of school year song

By the way, the lyrics are in the "more Info" on right if you follow the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeZxRYXZ154

[video9t0faty]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeZxRYXZ154[/video9t0faty]

Rockzmom, I hope all will be good with weather in your neighbourhood! Take care.
About this song... I haven't listened it before. And I don't know Russian songs about this...

Two hour delay for school already announced for TOMORROW!!!!!

Oh, I found this cute commercial spoof that was done about the song...

But once again, young kids (unless of course they have a cool mom like me ) just do not get the joke... Only us parents are laughing hysterically. It really is the singer Alice Cooper in the commercial and you can hear the song very softly in the background at the start of the spot and then get louder.

[video:3pmfynfu]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqI4xfsdv7Y[/video:3pmfynfu]