Westford Academy’s snow day on Thursday, January 4, 2018 was the previous Wednesday’s topic of discussion. Teachers and students alike anticipated the day off as emails and news stories relating to the storm poured in. Being the first actual snow day of the year, the storm brought in a substantial amount of wind, snow, and happy students.

The snow started falling early morning and plans to continue into the evening. Accumulation is quite noticeable, as many of the roads are covered in snow. It is estimated that there will be ten to twelve inches of snow by the end of the storm.

Wednesday morning superintendent Bill Olsen sent an email telling faculty that his decision on whether or not there would be a day off would be made in the afternoon, allowing Westford students and staff to sleep in. He preceded to make the call around seven p.m.

After having the shortest possible winter vacation, due to how Christmas and New Years fell, the day off made the return to school more bearable.

“It’s a nice break after the abrupt start to school again. It makes up for the short vacation week,” sophomore Olivia Donahue said.

The recent bitter weather and snow that New England has experienced can be attributed to the bombogenesis. This intimidating word is when a cyclone, a low pressure rotating storm, has a drop in atmospheric pressure over a short amount of time. In short, it is a storm that rapidly intensifies.

As for going back to school, if there is a full day or a delayed start on Friday the fifth, advisory will still take place. With a two hour delay, the schedule would be A, long block advisory, B, and D. If there is an additional snow day friday, the advisory will be canceled all together.

Administration also decided that with the snow day, midterm exams would be pushed back by one day. Instead of starting on Thursday the 18th, the 19th will be the first exam day. Term two will end on January 25.

Overall, the Ghostwriter would give Olsen an A for Thursday’s snow day. With adequate notice and snowfall, the day off was well anticipated and executed. The storm leaves students with not only a day off but an extra day before midterm exams start.