<p>Are Deerfield and Hotchkiss, among other boarding schools, sending those that can go home, home due to power outages to provide heat and food to those that remain?</p>
<p>I found my answer of Hotchkiss’ website:</p>
<p>Posted November 1, 2011</p>
<p>Dear Parents:</p>
<p>I write as a follow-up to yesterday’s communications. The School is still functioning on emergency power.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your swift and understanding responses. Most of our students left campus yesterday afternoon, in a very orderly yet efficient manner, and those who have remained are being well and warmly cared for. I offer a special thank you to those families who are hosting students other than their own child. Your generosity is much appreciated.</p>
<p>We still do not know at this point when power will be broadly restored, but anticipate that it might be within the next few days. It is my hope, shared by my colleagues, that students will make use of this forced change of routine to study as well as to relax. Teachers are expecting their students to stay abreast of course readings and homework assignments.</p>
<p>Please monitor the Hotchkiss website for further announcements. I shall write to you again early tomorrow morning. I would like the return of our students to be just as orderly and rapid as was their departure. We need to pick up things quickly just as soon as power is restored.</p>
<p>Warm regards,</p>
<p>Malcolm McKenzie</p>
<p>Deerfield lost power for like 2 minutes late Sunday night and then came right back on. We definitely still have school and everyone is here.</p>
<p>Milton didn’t lose power at all. SPS had something like a 24 inch blizzard and they still had class :)</p>
<p>I know of a few schools that closed due to extended power outages (snow related). Boarding students who couldn’t get home went home with classmates for a few days. In every case I’ve heard of (including our own) it was a fun adventure and school communities, especially host parents, demonstrated extraordinary generosity.</p>
<p>Part of living at boarding school is you live there, and you can quickly get to school because you walk. I live in Georgia (USA) and am currently attending a public school. If there is even a little bit of black ice on the road we get delayed start by at least 2 hours. Durring “snowmageddon” last year we got a week off for about 7 inches of snow because half the buses wouldn’t start and the other half couldn’t drive safely. The teachers went insane (worse then the days off the prior year for the floods) after us missing 7 days of school. I think its kind of nice to get to go to school even when there is snow because its a great excuse to stay inside a building. Most boarding are use to snow and blizzards in New England; its notting new. Most schools have set procedures for all emergencies. The vast majority modify the dress code to be warmer and include boots, so they can send students to class.</p>
<p>StudentCellist - </p>
<p>The storm referred to by the posters above was an unprecedented October blizzard that caused massive damage and statewide power outages in many New England states. You’re quite right that the New England schools are prepared for just about anything . . . but no one was prepared for this!</p>