Memphis Snowstorm

---

By: ​Zunairah Morshed

On January 6th, 2026 Memphis was caught in the middle of a severe snowstorm including about 3 - 5 inches of snow and ice. Neighborhoods were covered in deep snow which blocked driveways and roads all around the city. While the snow gave much enjoyment to the kids, many schools, including Pleasant View School were closed for an undefined period of time. Even so, at PVS, education is an extremely valuable asset and should not be penalized in any circumstance. One teacher, Dr. Reem said that even if there is a snow day, students are not exempt from the work that is given and should be held responsible for it.
​
 For most of the two weeks that the school was closed, many teachers either gave online classes where they would continue lectures as usual or gave daily work for the students to complete. Teachers explained that the importance of having online classes during the break is vital to making sure the students stay vigilant and not fall behind. It’s also difficult for the teachers to change their curriculum on such a short notice so they tried replicating classes as close as possible through meetings. Meanwhile others decided not to give classes, however they gave assignments instead. While the work kept the students quite busy in the morning through afternoon, students were still able to have fun afterwards. 

Plenty of students went outside to have fun in the snow. One 9th grade student, Maryam Maree, said, “I went sledding at a nearby park on hills and afterwards had hot chocolate”. Another student from the same grade, Aseel Shahadah said, “My siblings and I would fight on the snow and have snowball fights, even though the snowballs kept breaking apart”. Other than going outside, other students reported that they stayed inside and read books or spent quality time with their families. Students said that they felt relieved that they got a break from school but some missed it and preferred going back to staying at home. 

The snow storm caused a drastic change at PVS for quite a while. However, both teachers and students were given a well deserved break and allowed to spend time in their house relaxing, while also keeping up their duties. Even though school was closed, teachers still managed to continue teaching their students and as a result balance was restored. Excellence in education is what they strive to achieve and they won’t let anything deter them from their path. On the other hand, students were able to have fun outside in the snow and also inside in the warmth of their house and ultimately were given a break from the stress of school.
​