Jasmine Madison and her two oldest children, Zi’Yhanna and Dale. (Photo provided by Jasmine Madison)
By PrincessSafiya Byers
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
Milwaukee Public Schools has had two days off this year due to inclement weather, which puts parents like Jasmine Madison in a difficult place.
On a typical day, Madison gets up and gets her three children ready for school before having to be at work by 8:30 a.m.
But on days when school is canceled due to inclement weather, she is up earlier than usual watching the news to determine if her children have school.
Once she finds out they don’t, her morning is spent calling her father, sisters or cousins to find a sitter for the day.
Madison is one of many Milwaukee parents who must scramble when MPS closes due to inclement weather.
For Madison, having a toddler makes things even more difficult.
“When schools close, so does day care,” she said. “People might be willing to watch my older children, but it’s a lot to ask someone to watch a toddler.”
As someone who works in health care, she doesn’t always have the option of calling in and has to rely on her support system.
“I have a support system that I appreciate, but even then, it’s hard to find a sitter at the drop of a dime,” she said.
A major snowstorm seen from the corner of Locust Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Harambee in April of 2018. (NNS file photo by Adam Carr)
What parents can do
Madison said advanced notice about school closings would give her enough time to line up child care and get her children where they need to be.
MPS usually announces its closing around 5:30 a.m. on the morning of a closing. Some suggest understanding MPS’s closing policy so you can decide on your own and give yourself more time to plan.
According to MPS’s administrative policy, “The decision to close schools because of weather conditions is made by the Superintendent based on information received from a variety of sources.”
Ann Wilson, the manager of Hillside Terrace Family Resource Center, located at 1452 N. 7th St, said it’s an awful situation for parents.
“They’re (working parents) really left to sink or swim,” she said. “You can’t leave small children home alone so options are to get written up or potentially lose your job depending on where you work.”
Wilson said this has been an issue for years, adding district leaders need to find ways to help parents.
Both parents of MPS students and teachers in MPS schools told NNS they’d prefer it if school went virtual on snow days.
MPS did not get back to us on why they haven’t offered a virtual option. You can submit thoughts or complaints about how the district functions here.
How to keep students active at home
Some non-MPS schools, like Messmer Catholic Schools, go virtual when the physical building closes due to inclement weather.
If your child’s school doesn’t provide a virtual option, then teachers suggest having your child go over what they learned the day before with you.
You can find activities to help your child with reading here. https://mrsperkins.com/dolch.htm
You can find worksheets on various subjects at education.com.