Albemarle schools closed... for flooding
The Mechums River closes Browns Gap Turnpike in Crozet.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
Albemarle County public schools–- which delayed their opening by two hours for threatened-but-undetermined ice on Friday, January 22–- are closed Monday, January 25 due to flooding. Alas, the school system hasn't yet Twittered or even announced the news on its website (only revealing by automated phone message thus far), so there may be a raft of confusion this morning.
Update 7:45am: Charlottesville schools are on a two-hour delay. By 7:45 am– when Walker and Buford students are typically arriving at school– parents had received no alert and the news was announced only on the school system's website.
Rules of flooded roads: don't try to drive across 'em.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
Albemarle County reports 30 roads are closed because of heavy rainfall, particularly in the Scottsville area and in western Albemarle.
According to a National Weather Service warning, its radar shows two to four inches of rain have already fallen, and another half-inch is possible through 2:30pm January 25.
Updated 10:05am.
32 comments
But at 10am the sun was out and I just drove 21 curves and no problem --so why close the schools all day --2hr delay would have sufficed.
Funny how you all not only feel the need to read this "tabloid," but to criticize it as well. I'm just not seeing how it makes sense to criticize newspapers but not governments.
Britt, shouldn't you in particular be busy writing your own newspaper this morning instead of reading this one, you being so "brilliant" and all?
Closed for flooding? No wonder our kids sit around and play violent video games all day long!
When my parents were growing up, they walked to and from school every day in 24 iches of snow! And it was UPHILL both ways! :)
I think it was that Hawes couldn't prove that the closing was unnecessary (what with roads actually being under water and all), so he tried to invent another scandal: "a raft of confusion"! CCS "parents had received no alert and the news was announced only on the school system’s website"!
Somehow, the kids seemed more clued in than Hawes did. My daughter by 7 a.m. this morning was online with her other 5th grader friends chatting about CCS' 2-hour delay. The automated phone line had its message up by 7:20, when I called it. I kinda think maybe Hawes didn't roust his own self before his 7:45 "announcement." Also, it makes perfect sense to have a 2-hour delay for flooding -- the parents needed that time this morning to bail out their basements, and not have to mess with getting kids dressed and to the bus with lunches made and backpacks packed.
quote: "I just wanted to add: who on earth is on the internet at 6:00 in the morning??"
Even better question, what are fifth graders doing on the Internet chatting at 7:00 a.m.?
I gave my daughter computers way too early, desk top and laptops, and I have seen the challenges it poses. Shopping, chatting, on the Internet when she should have been doing homework, etc...
quote: "GSOE: If you truly did receive a call from the county schools in error, please call the 974-5777 number and leave your phone number on the message. We will be sure to have it removed from our system. Thanks."
Have done, just called the number at 4:55 p.m. and left message. Thank You!
I have come up with 3 suspects who possibly added my phone number to the list. 1) a prankster from The Hook blogs, 2) My daughter, so as to keep up with her niece who attends county schools (being nosey of course), or 3) One of the county cops I have sued. They like to play childish games like this.
GSOE: If you truly did receive a call from the county schools in error, please call the 974-5777 number and leave your phone number on the message. We will be sure to have it removed from our system.
Thanks.
I love how people read a story about flooding and schools being closed and some how we get to the point of arguement. Is there anything people won't fight about?
wtf is a twitter?
Awwww...CC's feelings seem hurt. Must be one of the tabloid staffers...
Me too -- county school parent, got my notifications at 6 a.m. Hawes seems to want their to be a problem.
Home phone, cell phone and two emails this morning all prior to your posting.
It simply amazes me that the editor and staff of this tabloid think they know everything and have the answers to all. If they were so brilliant they would be in positions to actually do something rather than criticize others who "try".
It's the snideness of the tone that irks me:
"Alas, the school system hasn’t yet Twittered or even announced the news on its website (only revealing by automated phone message thus far), so there may be a raft of confusion this morning."
Alas? They hadn't Twittered? It was "only" revealed by automated phone message? Hawes must not be aware that every county school parent chooses at the beginning of each school year which method he/she prefers for automated school closings announcements. They can send the automated message to your home phone, your work phone, your cell phone, etc. You can also subscribe to the email alerts. My email alert came at 3:19 a.m. My automated phone call came at 6 a.m. on the dot. Plus it was on the early morning local TV news and radio closings lists.
The idea that "a raft" of parents are sitting around at 6:57 a.m (when Hawes posted the first story) checking the county schools' Twitter feed in total ignorance of the closing decision is, well, ignorant.
if you're a muckracker, that's what you do -- try to rake up some muck. it's no fun for Hawes if systems are working appropriately.
I recieved a phone message at 6am and an email from the school this morning stating school was closed. Just because it wasn't immediately posted on their webpage means nothing. Parents sign up at the beginning of school to be notified of school closing, delays, emergencies, etc... So if your child doesn't go to school you wouldn't need to know in the first place.
Hawes what grade is our kid(s) in in the Albemarle School system?
By school age kids should be able to swim.
I received my call at 6:07 a.m. from 974-5777.
Funny thing is I don't have any kids in the Albemarle County school system. it appears some prankster put my number on the list just so I would get woken up at 6 a.m. Oh well, I had to get up anyway! My wife brought me pancakes and sausage from McDonalds on her way home from work! :)
I think I will shoot for Jak'n'Jill breakfast tomorrow morning. They have a pretty good breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, home made hash browns with onions, toast, jelly! :)
Oh My God!!!! My bad!!!! I meant to say I will ask for or request breakfast from Jak'n'Jill tomorrow morning.
The way thing go in this area, I might get arrested for threatening to shoot up Jak'n'Jil the way I have it worded above!!!
I would give her to you, Tim! But after getting her W-2 in the mail today, no can do! She made twice as much as I did last year, without any overtime!! When the heck did women start doubling their spouse's salaries anyway?
Well, truthfully, I guess it's time wives started earning their keep anyway. We let them run around barefoot and naked in the kitchen cooking, ironing clothes, watching Oprah and making babies far too long as it was. Now they can work 8 hours, come home and cook, record Oprah on the DVR to watch later while we guys go to the bars, iron clothes and make babies. :)
Give them a break. Most of us had no power this morning and most people use only cordless phones now. I got my notice on my cell at 6:00 so I think they're doing pretty good under the circumstances.
Haha I went to elementary school at Stony Point about 12 years ago. We got out early once for flooding. It was the greatest day ever.
So what are we going to call this event and will there be a slideshow ? - on my way to work at 6:15am, in the dark, had to dodge large tree limbs and small, on JPA, and rocks and mud on the entrance to the 250 By-Pass, and my co-worker had been up at 3am bailing out his basement.
How about floodopolis ?
Seriously, what is up with this report? The decisions are hard to make and they aren't going to always be right (tho today's probably was). And everyone with kids in school knows how to figure this out. Even so, sometimes shhhi...tuff happens and that is the way it goes.
The closings were also on NBC29's ticker, and I'm assuming CBS19 had the same thing. Not only that, but the anchors mentioned several times that the schools were closed. When I went to school (back in the dark ages and all), there were no automated text messages or Twitter, most people didn't have internet until I was in high school, and yet somehow we managed to find out anyway.
Hooray for these first 8 comments made by reasonable people who actually support the people who make the open/not open decisions! I live in Fluvanna but even I noticed that there was plenty of information as to the status of the school systems in plenty of time. And as one of the first comments mentioned, it was pretty obvious that something was up weather-wise and parents should have been prepared anyway. Good job decision-makers!
The picture shown on Hook with the road flooded over is still currently flooded over-that's why they closed the schools. The flooding isn't everywhere or we'd be facing evacuations.
Some kids riding these buses are as young as 4(Bright Stars & pre-school programs)& catching buses earlier than many of us leave for work.It rained so hard last night it woke me up.Not only do they need to get to school but they also need to get back home With the ground being already soaked & roads flooding I say good decision to close schools today.
I just wanted to add:who on earth is on the internet at 6:00 in the morning?? Certainly no one at our house.We received the automated message at 6:08 a.m. by telephone.. plenty of notice.
Yall can put me on any wake up call list if it means Gasbag's wife brings me McDonalds. 281-330-8004, hit Mike Jones - I mean Tim Brown - up on the low. HOLLLLLAAAAA
"When the heck did women start doubling their spouse’s salaries anyway?"
When their husbands started frittering all of their time away telling their personal stories on the internet.