In Vernon, it's the First Week of School, Weather or Not

It's the last week of August.

Thoughts turn to the last days of summer vacation and the first days of school.

A couple of days of swimming.

The a couple of days of organizing.

There are backpacks to get ready and summer reading charts to fill out.

There is also weather to watch.

Yes, another hurricane could hit the United States this week. Isaac looks like he'll be hanging around down south, but just the thought of him brings back memories of Hurricane Irene a year ago this week.

"Yes, I have been watching the weather," Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway said. "I do not want to relive the opening we had last year - even thought it went wonderfully."

Vernon was much worse off two months later, with the freak October snowstorm left some areas of town without power for nearly two weeks.

But as it was Irene - call her a hurricane or tropical storm - smashed her way through Vernon with and rain and knocked down enough utility poles to keep some sections of town powerless for about a week.

It seemed like only a few days earlier, town crews were still on the rooftops of school buildings cleaning snow, but they hit the road again with trucks and chainsaws in an effort to get the roads clear.

Vernon lost just one day of school, but the angst it caused is still a vivid picture.

A year later, former Mayor Jason McCoy, who was in office for both storms, still raves about the hustle of town workers.

After the ordeal, McCoy said he is more thankful of sleep and family time these days. In fact, one change made at the Emergency Operations Center is designed to make it more efficient, therefore reducing the amount of time some officials have to stay there during a storm.

Direct feeds have been set up for the federal government and Connecticut Light and Power to give both CL&P and the Department of Homeland Security up the the second updates on damage.

It was tested earlier this summer in a statewide drill based on the 1938 Hurricane and both  Emergency Management Director Michael Purcaro and Mayor George Apel said they were happy with the town's performance.

The EOC has even acquired a drone surveillance aircraft to inspect damage in dangerous places.

"In terms of what we learned from each other and about the process, thew organization was tremendous," Conway said the drill. "We can say, 'We can do this when we all come together as a town.'"

Conway then added, "I feel very comfortable about communication with the chain of command."

Conway said parents can expect a very focused alert system. When it is used, it will be for a real school weather or other emergency situation.

The first day of school for students in Grades K through 6, and Grade 9 is Wednesday, Aug. 29.

The first day of school for students in PK, Grades 7 and 8 and grades 10 through 12 is Thursday, Aug. 30.

All students will attend classes on Friday, Aug. 31. Schools will be closed on Labor day and all students will report to school on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Conway said she would much rather welcome students than a hurricane.

Any year.