Twas the day before break, when all through the building,

The students were studying, practicing and drilling;

There were tests to administer, big projects were due,

The students stayed focused, for soon they'd be through;

Ah! The teachers were practiced on managing excitement,

With challenging activities and a thoughtful assignment;

Hallways were quiet, classrooms were energetic,

In a mood that can best be described as copasetic;

Then quietly, gently, and almost imperceptible,

Snow began to fall, the flakes small and symmetrical;

Students dashed to the windows and let out a shout,

Certain, they were, that school would soon be let out;

The flakes swirled and skittered, and steadily grew,

They clung to the pine tree, the maple and yew;

They danced and they twirled as they grew ever bigger,

Clearly the snowfall was gaining in rigor;

The heavy flakes now covered the playground and grass,

Their descent threatened to derail every last class;

Students gazed out the windows with increasing fervor,

Each one an inspired, dedicated observer;

"I'll go sledding," thought Arun, "on the hill down the street,"

"The snowballs I make are gonna be neat;"

Tiffany thought of the cocoa she'd sip,

With the TV remote snuggled firm in her grip;

And Raphael conjured plans for a little more sleep,

Knowing he wouldn't need to count any sheep;

But as their plans grew ever more complex and brilliant,

Their teachers became ever more so resilient;

They had seen this before, this was nothing new,

They were well-prepared, knew just what to do;

Ms. Hollowell-Makle had a snowflake lesson ready,

To keep her room of third-graders steady;

They learned about hexagons and the properties of ice,

And then they drew snowflakes, which turned out quite nice;

Just down the hall in Mr. McComb's class for English,

There wasn't a chance that student learning would languish;

Journals were opened, and this challenge was given,

(For as a teacher of English he was especially driven);

Write a sonnet, some couplets, or perhaps a haiku, 

As long as it's about snow, it's all up to you;

Next door, in Miss Porfirio's 8th grade science class,

A lesson was given on the glacial land mass;

When the discussion was over, she had everyone's ear,

As the students listened eagerly about the cryosphere;

The period drew to a close, lessons were finished,

The teachers each saw that learning did not diminish;

In spite of the excitement over unforecast snow, 

They were able to focus attention back on what kids need to know:

From the how glaciers are formed and the nature of rhyming couplets,

To what happens when cold air meets falling water droplets;

The plans for an early-out had been thoroughly dashed,

But those dreams were replaced with what was learned in each class;

As students filed out eagerly into the hall,

Their teachers sang out, "Happy Holidays to all!"