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For educators, the snow and subzero temperatures force a tough decision on closing schools. This winter, the NPR Ed team has noticed a trend. School administrators trying to soften the blow by announcing - even celebrating - snow days with some catchy videos. NPR's Elissa Nadworny reports.
ELISSA NADWORNY, BYLINE: In Swartz Creek, Mich., a suburb of Flint, school was canceled this week. Here's how students and parents found out.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "SCCS ANNOUNCEMENT 1-29-19")
BEN MAINKA: (Singing) I heard about a winter storm. It's cold and dreary. Stay home. Stay warm. It's cold and it's a snowy winter morning.
NADWORNY: In a video on YouTube, Superintendent Ben Mainka and High School Principal Jim Kitchen put on cool sunglasses.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "SCCS ANNOUNCEMENT 1-29-19")
JIM KITCHEN AND BEN MAINKA: (Singing) It's a snow day, a winter cold day. Stay home and just play. It's a great family day.
NADWORNY: There are tons of these videos. Everyone from Rock Falls, Ill., to Missouri Valley, Iowa, to Decatur, Miss., wants in on the fun, with varying degrees of musical talent.
(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO MONTAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER #1: (Singing) And we're closed Tuesday 'til the roads are cleared by the snow plow man. And we're closed Tuesday...
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) Hey, I'm staying home from school today.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER #2: (Singing) Make it grand and take it easy.
BRIAN MCCANN: It's funny. It's a little mini phenomenon.
NADWORNY: That's Brian McCann, the principal of Joseph Case High School in Swansea, Mass. Last winter, he starred in a snow day take on the musical "Chicago."
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "ALL THAT SNOW (SWANSEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL CLOSURE PSA)")
MCCANN: (Singing) Hey there, kids, the super's called no school 'cause all that snow. You see, the roads...
NADWORNY: There's fake snow. McCann is singing center stage with a group of students dancing around him. Teachers and students were involved in the highly secretive project.
MCCANN: We had a code name for it. We called it Project Voldemort. So just like the villain in "Harry Potter," you couldn't ever mention the name.
NADWORNY: They finished making the video in the fall. And then...
MCCANN: We just waited and waited until we had a snow day.
NADWORNY: Finally, snow arrived. They hit publish. It was such a big hit that this year, there is a sequel.
MCCANN: We have one in the can, and we cannot wait for the flakes to come down in southeastern Massachusetts.
NADWORNY: For now, students in Swansea are in school, so they'll just have to keep watching last year's video on YouTube.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "ALL THAT SNOW (SWANSEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL CLOSURE PSA)")
MCCANN: (Singing) There's no school today, so just stay home and play....
NADWORNY: Elissa Nadworny, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO, "ALL THAT SNOW (SWANSEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL CLOSURE PSA)")
MCCANN: (Singing) In all that snow...