You look ahead while shielding your eyes from the icy snowflakes. The wind picks up speed sending hosannas of whirling snowflakes swirling faster and faster in the air. Then, suddenly more snow begins to plummet from the sky. You are caught in a blizzard with nowhere to go.

Students attending the Pottsville Area School district had an absence from school on Monday and Tuesday due to the weather conditions. There were snowstorms following throughout the whole week that left school periods shortened due to 2 hour delays. Besides shoveling heaps of snow, how did students spend their snow days? 

Senior Greta Snukis says, “Whenever it snows, I normally go over to my friend Emilee’s house and we go sledding. We drink hot chocolate and watch a lot of movies as well. I also spent my most recent snow day with my boyfriend and we went riding on my cousin’s four wheeler. I think they are super irritating just because whenever school is cancelled all the sports practices/meets are cancelled as well. It’s really a struggle when trying to prepare and improve myself as an athlete. I think this winter is so much better than the last we got so much snow and I absolutely love looking outside and feeling like I’m in a big snow globe.”

Teachers had other things to say about the school delays. 

Mrs. Katie Koneschusky says, “In my opinion, any unplanned event can be considered inconvenient. For me, when it comes to inclement weather absences, the instant reward outweighs the inconvenience at the end of the school year. Snow days and delays can sometimes require a rearrangement of pre-planned lessons but, as a whole, the news of a weather delay still brings the same excitement it did when I was 10! 

As a child, I remember bundling up to play outside with my little brother in the snow often. I have never been a fan of the cold, but this was always a “must-do” activity. My mom would warm us up with some hot chocolate after we would come back inside. Now as an adult, I get to do the same thing with my son, Jackson. Our usual routine includes shoveling snow from our sidewalks and driveway, then resorting to some fun by creating the perfect sledding track down the hill in our backyard. If the snow is good for packing we also enjoy a good snowball fight. Every winter is different from the previous and next except for one thing – I still  don’t like the cold! Ha! I do think this winter has provided our geographic region with more precipitation than some other years in comparison.”

Athletic director, Mr. Eric Rismiller conveys the difficulties athletes face with the weather.

 “Scheduling is tough enough without throwing days in that we can’t play or practice. Players lose out on practice and “in – season” conditioning and also may have 3 or 4 contest in a week, which is too much for a high school athlete. This winter is the toughest since I have been Athletic Director.  Fighting COVID – 19 and the weather has been awful.  Just like our kids, Mr. Mattea and I are resilient and want the best for our student athletes.”