Nice Weather Closes School: Wash. Christian School Gets 'Sun Day'
Nice weather closed a school in Bellingham, Wash. because administrators wanted to give the students the chance to enjoy their sunshine in their usually overcast region. Bellingham Christian School, a small private institution, decided Friday that their 205 students deserved a "sun day."
The nice weather forecasted helped close the school; Principal Bob Sampson saw a rare opportunity when meteorologists predicted sunny weather all weekend with a high of 80 degrees. The weather, combined with the lack of snow days earlier in the year, meant a "sun day" wouldn't conflict with students' learning.
"In a world that's got a lot of hard things going, it's fun to create a moment [of] joy," Sampson told the Associated Press. He had teased the students with the possibility of giving them a day off earlier in the week, especially because weather hadn't permitted a snow day
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Kids just love the anticipation of sitting around to see if school is canceled when it snows," he said. "You know, we haven't had any snow days, so I thought, 'How fun would it be to create that anticipation for kids when it's nice out?'"
The administration checked in with parents to make sure scheduling conflicts would not take place, and informed the school board as well. Once they got the all-clear, the news was posted on the school's website.
"SCHOOL CANCELED DUE TO GREAT WEATHER! WAHOOO!" administrators wrote Thursday night. "Yeah! It's a Sun Day today and everyone gets the day off from school."
Teachers and staff were given the day off as well. Principal Sampson and one other staff member still had to be at the school Friday morning, though- some students were sure not to get the notice if they didn't check online.
This isn't the first "sun day" for Bellingham Christian School. The idea was first proposed and utilized two years ago.
