Despite the cold winter dragging on, one thing students can always look forward to is a surprise snow day. 

The recent frigid temperatures have paved the way for the snow season, giving the Branford area a surprising number of snowstorms this year. But, what’s the process in which school get’s canceled? It’s not a question that crosses everyone’s mind, but it is worth investigating. 

Members of The Buzz staff met with Superintendent Dr. Christopher Tranberg last month to find out the process behind deciding to cancel school. 

The answer is actually much simpler than what you’d expect. According to Tranberg, the steps are rather straightforward. “I [first] talk to our director of facilities, Brendan Leddy. He’s already spoken to the police department and Branford Public Works.” 

Also in contact with the custodians, the choice is made no later than 5:30 a.m., as they don’t want panic from families and students. On possible snow days Tranberg said he’s typically awake by 4:30 a.m.

It’s important to make sure travel is secure for everyone, Tranbert added. Those phone calls determine which roads had been covered in snow and ice, determining exactly which streets are safe for transportation. 

An important part of the snow-day decision making process also involves communication between the bus company and other school district departments such as Technology, who is in charge of notifying all the families and students, updating the school website to show the latest status, and reporting the snow day to local media, such as WTNH.

Tranberg also explained that a private weather consultant, John Bagioni, a retired meteorologist who works with over a hundred other districts, messages Branford daily about what the weather looks like. Branford subscribes to his services to help stay informed, Tranberg said.

“He’ll do conference calls in the morning. And if you want to hop on a call, he’ll kind of give a recommendation of what it looks like and he’s very, very good,” Tranberg informed. 

Another point to take into consideration is what the surrounding districts are doing. “East Haven, Branford, Guilford, Madison, we’re often checking with each other.” Tranberg explained how other school’s decisions doesn’t finalize his; but it sure helps shape it. 

When a snow day occurs, the BHS schedule skips over a letter day, and a day is added to the end of the school year to total the CT-set 180 days of school. Despite the number of snow days, the date of graduation is fixed and will not change from the June 10 date.

It’s a group effort, but a lot of factors do influence the decision. Lucky for us, another snow day means a chance to sit back and enjoy the winter. Catch up on some work, or maybe have some hot chocolate by the fireplace watching a movie. 

Editor's Note: At the time of publication, Branford High School has had four snow days.