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Superintendent explains snow-day decision process, cites New Jersey limits on virtual instruction
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Aderhold described how the district makes snow-day or delayed-start calls, said officials avoid "double messaging," and noted New Jersey law generally prevents one-off virtual instructional days unless an emergency closure extends three consecutive days.
Dr. Aderhold, superintendent of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, described the district's process for deciding whether to delay or close schools because of winter weather and explained why the district generally cannot convert a single inclement-weather day to virtual instruction under current New Jersey rules.
Aderhold said she prefers to avoid what she called "double messaging" — announcing a delay and then changing the decision the next morning — and will wait, when possible, to see how a storm evolves before making a call. "I do not like what's called double messaging," she said, adding later, "I'll always [err] on the side of safety when it comes to, making sure that our buses can safely get, come through and, deliver our students, to school." The superintendent said she coordinates overnight with building and grounds staff and other superintendents and that the district holds a 4:30 a.m. "snow call" to decide on delays or closures.
The superintendent emphasized staffing as a central factor: staff commute from more than 90 municipalities and the district must ensure it has enough employees to operate schools safely. "I have to be mindful. Do we have enough individuals to actually operate a school district safely, and to meet our students' needs?" she said.
Aderhold also explained the district's legal constraints on one-day virtual instruction. She said that, under New Jersey law as it currently stands, the district may petition to use virtual instruction only after three consecutive days of emergency closure, and that after any later storm the district would again need another three-day emergency closing to invoke virtual instruction. "While we did virtual instruction, during the COVID time period, that was under executive order," she said. "In New Jersey, the current law is there has to be an emergency closing for 3 consecutive days, and then you can petition based on, a public safety reason to move to virtual after that." She noted bills on the issue have been proposed over the years but do not change the current rule.
Aderhold pointed out that private schools and neighboring states follow different rules; private schools are not bound by the same statute, and Pennsylvania law differs. She said some New Jersey districts with more than 180 days of instruction sometimes use virtual days that do not count toward the 180-day mandate so they can practice remote instruction without affecting the required school calendar.
For parents, the superintendent urged relying first on official district channels and contacting teachers directly with concerns about a student's experience; she offered the district email format (firstname.lastname@wwprsd.org) as a consistent contact method. The district also reminded families to keep contact information current in the Genesys system so they will receive any emergency messages.
Aderhold said the district would continue to monitor conditions overnight and make a singular announcement — delay or close — designed to avoid later reversals. "So right now that's the current rules," she said, "... I am a believer in snow days when appropriate, and I think it's a right, that we granted during COVID as well."
