Editor: The Standard
As a parent and an employee of SD 78 Fraser Cascade, I was thankful when the decision was made to close the schools. Many people may not realize how big our district actually is and how many of us commute daily to get to our jobs. We have schools located in four different communities, Boston Bar, Hope, Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs. All requiring many staff to run a school. When I got up at 6:00 am and looked out my front window, I was shocked to see just how much snow had fallen. So my first instinct is turn on the radio and check the school closures, second was a call to my administrator to say: “Hey I am going to be late cause I will need to shovel my way out.” Then the thought came to mind was how are my kids going to get to school safely? My children attend HSS so they are not small children, but regardless they need to walk somewhere and there was not a safe route. After hearing back from my administrator I went out and started to shovel. While I was shoveling the local plow truck came by and buried me right back in. Yes, they too are just doing their jobs. It is never an easy decision to close the schools as it is a ripple effect for parents and staff, but on this day the right decision was made. Imagine the article that would have been written if a child or staff member was killed or hurt trying to get to school or work. We don’t live in the north, snow is not something that we get much of and quite frankly let the kids enjoy the little time they get with the white stuff, because as we saw it turns to a wet mucky mess very quickly.
Brenda Deschenes, Secretary Agassiz Elementary Secondary School
