After a quick winter storm in the Philadelphia region, kids — and parents — enjoy a snow day
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – As quickly as the snow fell in Philadelphia on Tuesday, it was gone. By the mid-afternoon, the hills at Clark Park in West Philadelphia showed no signs of snowfall. Only a small and dripping snowman was left behind.
In terms of a fun day in the fluff, it was likely a disappointment for Philadelphia kids with a day off from in-person school. But that didn't stop families from taking advantage of the day.
"Who likes snow days in this house?" Ashley Kontostergios, of South Philly, asked her three kids, Katalina, Kosta and Koko. Immediately all three hands shot up in joy.
Ashley Kontostergios teaches at the Waldron Mercy Academy, where her children also attend school. The school opted for a full snow day on Tuesday. And while the kids looked forward to snowball fights and snow angels, the slushy slop in the city led them to have a family day inside, catching up on quality time and getting ready for Valentine's Day with cupcakes.
"We've been trying to bake cupcakes for the last couple weekends and their activity schedules were really busy," Ashley Kontostergios said. "They have a lot going on."
As a teacher and a mom, Asley Kontostergios said she was happy to see a traditional snow day, as opposed to a virtual learning day. While she says Waldron hasn't opted to go virtual this year, she remembers the challenges she faced when they did; trying to corral three young children to focus on their work, while also trying to get her teaching done.
"A couple years ago, when they were little, we were all on virtual. So we had four things going on in the house at the same time," she said. "Now it would be a little easier because they're a little more independent and can do it on their own. But when we had to do it regularly, it was really, really tough."
The rise of virtual learning post-pandemic has been another curveball for parents when the snow hits, many of whom have to take off work to be home with their kids, and make sure they're staying engaged with their school work.
The Kontostergios family, though, enjoyed Tuesday's snow day as a day with the family and some baked goods to share with friends, despite the protests of young Koko.
"They're all for me," announced the first-grader. To which his mom replied, "They are not all for you."
Snow day in Delaware County
With school canceled for many students, some children in Delaware County used the snow day to have fun.
Dozens of children gathered at a popular sledding spot outside the Springfield Township municipal building, known as Sled Hill, on Tuesday.
Among those enjoying the snow day were 6-year-old Bridget Casey and her two brothers from Springfield.
"We wanted to go down a hill on our driveway but it was all wet, so we couldn't do that," Bridget said. "But then [my brother] Donnie suggested that we could go down these hills."
Some children took a break from sledding to build a snow fort and have a snowball fight. Others went snowboarding down the hill.
"I remember last year they didn't get any snow days," Bridget's mom Hannah Casey said. "So this is a nice change of pace, to have a little surprise day off from school."
