They waited WAAAAAY too long to make that call! When Milwaukee closed around 6 they should have followed suit. We didn't get a call until about 6:50 a.m. Many kids were probably on their way to the high school already. Great decision to close just made the call way too late in the morning!

This is just another example of poor leadership and lack of ability by Dr. Do Nothing and his band of merry administrators.

I know teachers who had already left for work!

This guy can’t even properly call a snow day………let’s extend his contract another 3 years.

As teachers in Greendale say and now working parents know: Working parents got Tharped.

Greendale teachers are sick and tired of the bumbling around. Maybe we can have a listen and learn tour about how to call a snow day. My husband got his call from the another district by 6:10 a.m. Wake up Greendale and smell the roses. We have a problem here that is not getting better.

I was watching the TV and everybody was closed except Greendale. That seemed strange. Then I saw two kids walking to the bus stop. Then low n behold, Greendale's District shows up on the TV. Too bad half the kids were on their way already! U KIDDING ME?

Trying working with Dr. Do-Nothing. This is what every day looks like. No one makes a decision anymore.

Call the School Board President Joe Crappitto. "Dr. Tharp has met our expectations."
Not anyone else's.

Mos was closed by 538- I got the auto call at 6:52am from Greendale??? On a non snowy day we leave at 7---- I am sure most teachers were close to school or on the way--- high school starts at 7:24. Was someone sleeping in this morning- that was way too late !!!!

Oops MPS

Wow!! What a bunch of complainers! Let's not inconvenience anyone (ever). I work 10 miles away and I was able to make it to work. I understand the concern of children having to walk in timid weather, but it's ridiculous the shallow behavior of some of the ranting going on here. There are better ways to handle situations than the way some of you choose to. Of course, this stems from the entitlement society And we wonder why there is a Bullying problem in Greendale! FYI...UWMilwaukee is Open.

This is how it runs in GSD. All the time. Things are very different from last year. There is very little communication and most of it is Tharp looking around like a lost kid being led along by Green and Amidzich. Most of us know we don't have any real direction. The data day this past Monday was a joke at the elementary schools. No organization and nothing accomplished. Dr. Do Nothing is a joke.

CowDung-Didn't say they are complaining about school being closed!! Speaking about those who may have arrived and now have to go back home. Life is full of inconveniences! Their point may be legit but how they are handling isn't. reread it. my reference to UWMilwaukee being open is due to some folks are saying it's closed. Let's keep things in perspective.

As a concerned parent, I comment that common sense should have been used this morning. If you are unsure of whether or not you want to close school for the day, at least announce a late start for the safety of the teachers, parents and children until you can make a final decision to close. My husband was stuck in the snow coming back from the highschool this morning after we got the late call. Children were waiting for buses, with cars sliding everywhere. Many people were in danger because the plows hadn't gotten to all of the streets yet. Why the late decision? Seems the recording was a 6:30 but didn't get to parents until 6:50. There is a broken link that needs to be fixed.

Well, like I said, I work for big ugly Corporate and I had to travel 10 miles. Luckly, I'm a common sense driver and made it just fine:) no worries I agree the School District really screwed up by not closing the school earlier. But to call people names and carry on in such a disrespectful way is uncalled for. Remember we do live in a climate of snowy weather. I wonder how many people are worried about our Troops in bad conditions or how Their President is bankrupting our Country....

The broken link is Greendale Public Schools lost Bill Attewell the technology administrator. The broken link is bad administration and no leadership.

I did a quick look around the various Patch's not much chatter except here. Because the poor communication (over and over). Probably couldn't get the two public relations professionals on the payroll into do the work.

Vote for change: Weid Vincent Mevis and Dalkin (Amidzich's dad)

Did not know that! That is good to know Fl Born.

GSD is a union school board. Maybe a problem and why there is trouble in Greendale. Greendale votes republican by 60% - 40%.

Seems like people are worried about how the superintendent is running the school district. Cow Dung has it right. The school board voted to extend this man's contract for three years after a community backlash. Now vote for Mevis and Dalkin. Vincent Weid I guess is with the unions. Wish Greendale Patch would do a series of articles on the candidates asking them questions and responding on the Greendale Patch for us to read and decide.

http://greendale.patch.com/articles/teacher-returns-to-her-greendale-roots-to-run-against-rep-jeff-stone

OMG. Dr. Slota ran against Jeff Stone when Stone too. I betcha they are running together.

Correction. Slota ran against Stone once too. They are two peas in a pod.

Lovin' Greendale-if you can read, I did point out the concern of children. I believe Children have Parents, to protect them and their safety. My point is how offensive you Adults act....get over it!

See these comments: All about losing faith in GSD. Any one holding their breath to hear Dr. Do Nothing apologize, explain, even speak about this?

My wife - a teacher at the high schools was driving down 76th when she got here call ten to seven. Tweedle dumb.
http://greendale.patch.com/articles/winter-storm-hits-greendale-details-on-accidents-closings

While this may all see like a bit of funny business, the truth is Tharp's actions today should b a wake up call. This is a serious matter of student and staff safety! Dr. iPad can't even call a snow day! Good lord!

Maybe if he had follow his own weather guidelines from December 18, 2012, he could have figure it out. Link: http://www.greendale.k12.wi.us/resources/12-18-12-Incelement-Weather.pdf

Shouldn't his two amigos Amidzich and Green have brought him through another crisis that every other superintendent would be able to handle and did?

Greendale School District is in pathetic shape. My wife texted me that the teachers are all a buzz about how stupid this all was managed. Unfortunately, they expect this kind of management from Dr. Do Nothing and his amigos in the district office.

Greendale School Board Candidates. Pay attention. Incumbents answer for your superintendent's miserable showing.

Challengers. What are you going to do different with Dr. Do Nothing? Or are you going to get Tharped like the present board is now?

To Tharp or not to Tharp? That is the question.

How did the superintendent of a great school system become the butt of jokes on this snowy day? This place is in trouble.

Educ8tor...you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a bully with all the name calling you do. I certainly hope that none of my children have ever had the opportunity to be in your presence as an educator. Your demeanor is disgusting. As an educator you should be setting an example for the students of this district.

Mark Schaff - You just got Tharped.

The facts are school districts in the area were closing and announcing by 6 a.m. High school parents were dropping kids off at the high school. Teachers were in route to school. This was not the case in other school districts. My wife is a teacher in the district. After how mad he gets at employees when he gets called out i won't say which school but teachers no longer use GSD email. Administration is known to be reading email all the time.

Check out some teachers and parents and get the truth. What you are getting from Dr. Do Nothing is his pr spin doctoring.

You can't put lipstick on a Tharp, I mean a pig.

Charlie...same goes for you. With all the bullying in this district, and the fact that kids first lessons are learned at home...you name callers should all be ashamed. Find a better, grown up way to show your disdain.

Am I the only one who finds it astonishing that the Superintendent cannot follow his own December plan in regards to school closings due to weather? He can't handle a simple weather school closure. Good Lord!

Greendale School District is not doing very well. It all starts at the top. Whatever happened and whatever comments John Tharp made, it is not a school system that is well run. Lets hope the election brings out each candidate to take a stand. Poor John Tharp. He is creating and in a mess.

Cheers.

It's real simple, they waited way to long to call it.

At least John Tharp took responsibility. It seems like the posters have some information that shows he is putting the best face on it he can. That is his job. He must be miserable to listen and live in this criticism. Even if he brings it on himself.
I know there was a mixed view on who should be hired for the job.

Not everyone should be in the job they happen to convince a hiring team to hire them It appears this is such a case. Couldn't even get calling a snow day right.

Cheers.

It must be said though the excuses offered are very flimsy and contrived. "Superintendent John Tharp said he made a late call to cancel school when conditions deteriorated after 6 a.m."

Why not just say. "I am a new CEO and made a mistake. I will do better next time."

Cheers.

I have to agree with June Crawford about Burgundy. Offensive comments yet he makes the opposite of the point he so desires. So, leave him in so he can influence the conversation. Just not in the fashion he so hopes.

He is like one poster said quoting Shakespeare: He protests too much...

Cheers

Greendale was not the only district to call a late snow day, so did Greenfield. At least he called it.

Would you all like some cheese with your whine!

Looks to us like the whine starts with the late call and questionable rationale by administration. We are used to it now in Greendale Public Schools

We received a phone call at 6:50 exactly that school was to be cancelled. I had already made the decision not to send my kids to school feeling that the roads were not safe. My kids heard from kids who sat at the bus stop for 20 minutes waiting for the bus that never came and kids who had walked to school already only to learn that there was no school. Sorry Mr Tharp but conditions were unsafe well before 6 am, as other school districts had already cancelled school. You made mistake, own up to it!

Our admin this year does not own up to mistakes. They blame.

Yes, perhaps the snow day should have been called sooner. But I don't see any evidence that the district is in decline. Sorry, I just don't get it. Before we all go over a cliff with Educa8tor, let's take a step back and talk to our neighbors; if there is a problem let's work together to fix it.

This story was on Fox 6. Greendale makes the news.

Here is the news story.

http://fox6now.com/2013/02/27/parents-frustrated-over-school-districts-cancelling-classes-late/

When I started teaching in 1970 - snow days were days that both teachers and kids loved! I had a purple "ditto" sheet by my dial phone which was labeled "Calling Tree." To this day I recall who called me - and who I had to call. TV stations did not run school closings - one radio staton did(if you could hear it through the static). Each classroom had their own "Cslling Tree." There were days that school was called the night before - and we woke up to blue skies . There were days that we drove to school through swirling snow - and I recall days when there was a break-down in the calling tree, and we turned around and went back home - or stayed and worked in our classrooms. One such day - a bunch of teachers and staff showed up. We built a huge snowman - and then had a snowball fight. It was a great day! It never crossed my mind to "blame" anyone when wires got crossed. Mistakes happen . On Wednesday I wondered if my kids (all teachers) and my grandchildren had school. Then I turned off my light and went back to sleep - thinking about snow days of the past.

This Fox News story pretty much covers it doesn't it John Tharp. Met expectations is the watch word from the Greendale Board of Education. The students, parents and your staff deserve better than this.

http://fox6now.com/2013/02/27/parents-frustrated-over-school-districts-cancelling-classes-late/

Those districts that didn't respond well to the snow this week are not leading with students at the heart of their work. Rather, they are in PR paralyses because how they are perceived is more important to them than the actual quality and conviction of their work.

At least no one got bullied on Wednesday! Things are looking up.

GPS were doomed the minute Dr. Hughes announced his retirement!

Something happened to the Greendale School District. People are questioning things because there is a sense that things aren't right. Poor communication, press releases instead of human interaction. Kids sense their teachers and building managers care but the district office is off the rails. School board most are out of touch and living a parallel universe of what they think is good for the school district. But do we know them? Do we know Dr. Tharp? Who are the district administrators?

Issues like this develop because people don't trust the management anymore.

Hey John Tharp. Can you define improving and deteriorating weather? Say it with me. When it is snowing hard, other school districts are closing, and is is really really snowing hard, you have deteriorating weather.

On to Listen and Learn II. We can't wait to hear your next State of the District.

I don't know how much it costs, but perhaps it would benefit the whole community to have an emergency text alert system in place like some universities have. If you're busy getting yourself and the kids ready in the morning, brushing off your car, or shoveling your way out you haven't got time to listen to the radio or keep your eyes peeled to the TV (takes forever to scroll across the screen by county and school) for school closings.

Text alert messaging (various ways to set up via cell phone, email, etc.) is simultaneous and directs contact individually with those who've registered for it. It would be efficient and potentially life-saving for other non-weather situations too like power outages or security alerts. Just food for thought.

The problem we all have is the management of GSD. You can have all the systems you want but it takes someone able to do something instead of do nothing.

I just have to laugh at so many of these posts because we have the Greendale Schools addressing the issues of bullying and we don't have to look too far to see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...very sad. I just hope that my own children who attend GSD don't begin to feel the effects of this craziness that is taking place within the district, the low moral, the lack of leadership and the "bullying" that is taking place amongst the adults.

The effects of the craziness that is taking place with the school district, the low morale and lack of leadership starts with the administration. The Administration works for the Board of Education. They could fix this all but do not.

We only have a few days a year where a snow day is a possibility. If your worried about getting into an accident or the safety of your kids then keep them home. Tharp's lack of punctuality is unprofessional and should be something that he catches some heat for, but there's plenty of common sense talk in these posts and I didn't see any parents recognizing that the call to send/take their kids to school is ultimately up to them.

Tharp ducks the heat of the kitchen. Many of us working in the district are pretty much ignoring him as much as possible. Unprofessional would be a key word here.

Dear frominthebubble,

Have you been paying attention? Your head is clearly buried in the sand.

Have a great day!