Skipwith Academy at Westchester should be ashamed of themselves. They are closed for the third day…read morethis week for a snow event that occurred on 1/24-1/25/26. Although the storm resulted in residual affects including icy conditions, more than 98% of the surrounding businesses (including a Pediatric Physician Office, restaurants, Target, Chick Fi La, Panera Bread, a major Gym, Banks, etc.) are open with access to the high traffic of their parking lot and foot areas clear. So, why is Skipwith not open?
Although parents seek Day Care Services for various reasons, they primarily choose it because they have to work and the children are either not of school age or need supervision after school or when school is closed because again, they have to work.
Operating a Day Care that is more inclined to mimic the local school closure schedule does not serve the parents of the community very well. In addition, discounts to the ever increasing tuition for these numerous day closures are usually not offered. This is very frustrating.
Safety FIRST should always be the focus and the goal. I have worked in operations for 32 years so I know what that is like and that it can be difficult to balance at times. However, I would expect Managers and Leadership to be more "Proactive vs Reactive", to think more "out the box" and come up with a better contingency plan for their clients than to simply "close" for multiple days.
Would it be too much to consider maybe late openings and early evening closures for a couple of days in a time like this? That way, parents could still meet work obligations (everyone does not have the luxury or ability to work from home) vs missing the day all together. Children would be safe while still learning/having fun and all participants (teachers, parents, children, etc.,) would be able to arrive and depart to their designations safely.
I am not trying to down Skipwith Academy or think that the establishment should never close in inclement weather. With Virginia's weather being as Bipolar as it is, there will certainly be times that option is most appropriate. With that said, for the most part, the staff do a good job. My little one enjoys going there and has excelled greatly under their teaching and supervision. However, you have to do better. Your parents are your clients too and if you are closed often, this defeats the purpose of them patronizing your business.
