It’s no secret that Lexington has experienced an unusually high number of snow days this year. Constant blizzards and multiple feet of snow have heavily impacted students and staff, shifting schedules and changing commutes. The huge storm following February break highlighted these difficulties, resulting in the cancellation of two days of school. Understandably, the school needed those days to prepare for students’ return, but having to make up missed school days at the end of the year is not ideal. Among the student body, opinions on this topic are mixed.

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal to have to make up the snow days at the end [of the year],” Aanya Kaveti, a junior, said. Kaveti felt that the end of the school year is usually calm and relaxing.

However, other students prefer not having to make up snow days because it can impede the start of summer break. Many students have commitments like summer programs, family obligations, and vacations planned as soon as the school year ends, making extra days of school impractical and difficult. 

There are also more immediate consequences resulting from the rough weather. For example, paths on campus after the extended Feb. break were slippery and hard to navigate. 

“There’s been multiple times where I’ve almost slipped and fallen on the ice, so I have to be very careful. I try to be outside as little as possible,” Darcy Buell, a sophomore, said. 

In addition, many students found that parking was harder with the snow. Students who parked at the front of LHS had difficulty finding spots and getting out of their cars.

“You’d have to climb over the snow to get into the cars, so you kind of have to walk in the road, which is dangerous,” Kaveti noted. 

Parking in JLOT—the parking lot next to the playground—seemed difficult as well. 

“There was no plowed path through the baseball fields [from JLOT],” Avery Horvath, a sophomore, said. 

Because the weather has affected daily routines so significantly, many students hope the  new LHS building will prevent some of these issues. Its indoor campus would mean that students no longer need to walk outside during weather crises. 

Although the school’s current open campus leaves students and staff vulnerable, there are also steps LHS could take now to mitigate the effects of cold weather. For example, it could place salt on pathways it currently misses, clear snow off sidewalks, and make sure parking lots are clear and accessible.