Schools

Report Says Foxborough Students Should See More Snow Days This Year

Samantha Kramer, a staff writer for AccuWeather.com, says AccuWeather.com Long-Range meteorologists are projecting a weak to moderate El Niño by late summer, which could mean more snow this winter.

It's still summer, so why are we talking about snow already?

Because August means back to school and students always want to hear about snow days?

Well yes, but mostly because of a new report from AccuWeather.com that expects more snow this winter as a result of a weak to moderate El Niño.

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The presence of El Niño or La Niña - and their strength - is used to project how active the winter season is going to be, according to Samantha Kramer, a staff writer for AccuWeather.com. Kramer says the website's long-range meteorologists are projecting a weak to moderate El Niño by late in the summer.

"For kids praying to hear school's out for a snow day, the weaker the El Niño, the better," Kramer writes. "Weak El Niños have brought snow-packed winters to most major Northeast cities in the past, according to AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Jack Boston."

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In contrast, weak La Niñas and strong El Niños historically bring lower-than-average snowfall, according to the report and that is exactly what happened in Foxborough this past winter.

Throughout the country last year, at least nine of its snowiest cities had less than 60 percent of their average snowfall, according to USA Today, which caused many schools to end the year early because they hadn't used up all their snow days.

In Foxborough, the district’s last day of school was June 18 as a result of only two snow days, which occurred at the end of October and became better known as "" – a nightmare for town residents and businesses who went days without power for the second time in two months –

While Foxborough Schools Superintendent Debra Spinelli did not have to cancel the start of school following Irene, she was forced to do so district-wide as a result of Snowtober.

"We had only two weather cancellations district-wide due to the Halloween storm," Spinelli said. ... "We did not lose any days for the August storm/power outage, as those days were for teacher professional development prior to the opening of school. We opened school for faculty without power and made do, so that those days wouldn't have to be rescheduled."

Snow wasn't the only reason a Foxborough school had to close its doors last year, according to Spinelli.

"The Igo School alone had one additional cancellation due to a water main break on Carpenter Street in front of the school," she said.

The AccuWeather.com Long-Range Forecasting Team is predicting an average season of about five hurricanes and 12 tropical storms - less active than last year's seven hurricanes and 19 tropical storms.

Hurricane season peaks in September and officially runs until Nov. 30.

The Atlantic Hurricane season affects the southern coast from Texas to Florida, as well as a large portion of the eastern coast from Florida all the way up through North Carolina, and can even impact cities as far north as New York or Boston, including towns like Foxborough as seen with Tropical Storm Irene.

Spinelli said each year the school district is required to set a school calendar that includes 180 days for students plus five additional days for weather cancellations.

"Those you will see added to the end of any school calendar in June," she said. "So, while we always designate the 'last day of school' as the 180th day for students, assuming no snow days, it actually keeps extending when school is cancelled."

Foxborough's last day of school for students this year is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, but if AccuWeather.com's projections are true, it will likely be later – with the district's cancellations days scheduled to be made up from Wednesday June 19 to Monday, June 25.

For a complete look at the school calendar, _click here. _


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