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Could the Internet Spell the End of Snow Days?

Could the Internet Spell the End of Snow Days?

In this April 8, 2011 photo, Cameron Mottet makes up a missed snow day in the kitchen of her home in Parkville, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

PARKVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Could the Internet mean the end of snow days? Some schools think so, and they are experimenting with ways for students to do lessons online during bad weather, potentially allowing classes to go on during even the worst blizzard.

“Virtual snow days” would help ease pressure on school calendars. Because districts are required to be in session for a certain number of hours or days, losing teaching time to winter weather can mean extending the school day or cutting short spring break or summer vacation.

And canceling school in the winter, when some of the most difficult material of the year is covered, risks leaving students with a learning deficit heading into the spring, when many states administer standardized tests.

“Even if you can’t continue on at the same pace, being able to keep students on track can make a huge difference,” said Doug Levin, executive director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association.

Virtual learning, which has been widely used by colleges and universities for years, is becoming more viable for younger students as teachers and administrators grow comfortable with the technology. Online learning also saves money because districts don’t have to pay for transportation, electricity and custodians.

But there are obstacles, too. Many families don’t have Internet access with speeds that would support complex classroom-style work, especially in rural areas and impoverished inner cities. Families with multiple children — without multiple computers — could be hard-pressed to keep up.

And some people say kids just need an occasional extra day off in the depths of winter.

“When deep snow falls, the world becomes quiet and still. And if we listen to our instincts, we settle in and enjoy the pure joy of not doing,” David Santner wrote on the website for the Poughkeepsie Day School in New York, where his son is a middle schooler, after the school turned to online learning during a spate of winter storms.

For schoolchildren, old-fashioned snow days used to mean languorous hours spent playing outside in the drifts, watching television or sipping hot chocolate. But someday, kids who can’t get to the classroom might just sit down with their computers.

Josie Holford, head of the Poughkeepsie school, which had six snow days and four late starts this past winter, said it’s possible to enjoy the outdoors and keep learning. Students in one class were told to draw a picture in the snow for a lesson on angles and to take a picture of their creation.

“We have to recognize as teachers, educators, all of us, that we are in a completely different landscape, and that learning really isn’t confined to a textbook or a teacher anymore,” Holford said. “We all have to be learning all the time. Why should a snow day stop the progress of learning?”

At St. Therese School in the Kansas City suburb of Parkville, students recently did a virtual make-up day after classes were canceled six times because of weather.

As she used a computer drawing program to complete an art lesson in her kitchen, seventh-grader Cameron Mottet predicted her classmates would embrace the system, especially if it means “they don’t have to go to school in June.”

Cameron’s older sister, whose school isn’t making up days virtually, has grumbled that she will be in class while Cameron is free to hang out at the pool.

The first experiments with virtual snow days began a few years ago as individual teachers started logging on during poor weather to drill older students. Since then, entire schools and districts have joined in, using websites such as Skype and YouTube to keep students as young as kindergarten studying during storms.

An increasing number of teachers have their own websites, so sometimes starting virtual lessons is as simple as telling parents to check on snow days to see if any assignments are posted. Other times, the makeup work occurs afterward, with students completing assignments from home on days set aside for teacher training. Students can chat online with their teachers and ask questions via email.

In one school, younger students were directed to a website to play online money games, while older students in another school completed a simulation program to test how the angle of a baseball pitch affects the distance a ball is thrown.

The experiments appear to be the most prevalent in affluent private schools like Cameron’s, where only three of 643 students lacked a home computer.

At an all-girls boarding school in Simsbury, Conn., some teachers started using the Internet for lessons when roads become impassable so students who commute didn’t fall behind the others who live on campus.

“It’s been a really bad winter, so the teachers were grateful they could use these tools and not lose a day or cram too much material in one day,” said Vivian K. Elba, director of marketing and communications at Ethel Walker School.

But the efforts aren’t limited to wealthy, private schools. The Mississinawa Valley district on the Indiana-Ohio state line has led Ohio’s push for virtual snow days. Fifty-two percent of the district’s 700 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

Since Mississinawa got permission last fall to make up two snow days electronically, four other Ohio districts joined the pilot program. Superintendent Lisa Wendel has received calls from other states interested in virtual make-up days.

“It is going to continue to snowball in this country,” said Wendel, whose district has been forced to call off classes 11 times this school year.

However, Wendel questions whether virtual snow days will continue in her own district. Ohio lawmakers have thrown out a provision allowing the practice, citing concerns that poor students without home computers and rural students without Internet access could be at a disadvantage. Lawmakers continue to debate the issue.

Jalisa Rush, a seventh-grader in the district who has her own laptop, said she and her friends spent their e-days chatting on Facebook as they did online assignments that included calculating the calories and transfats in favorite foods. Because some of the projects were more creative, she didn’t mind committing five to six hours to them.

“I thought it was really exciting and something new to try, which was really pretty great,” she said. But she added: “It gets a little harder because you didn’t really have the teacher there to explain something if you have a question.”

Carol Hussin, principal of Cameron’s St. Therese School, said some parents have complained the online work took longer than the six hours teachers intended, but others said they enjoyed getting a glimpse of their children’s studies.

“I think it’s a great tool to have,” said Cameron’s mother, Jane. “Obviously it’s not going to replace going to school. But for situations like this, I think it’s wonderful.”

Comments (63)

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  • red_white_blue2
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:37pm

    YEA Cass Sunstein….QUICK, there’s something else for you to regulate!!

    Report Post » red_white_blue2  
  • Verum Ad Potentia
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:26pm

    Why are we wasting money on brick & mortar schools at all? Additionally, couldn‘t the best ’presenters’ be hired to record classes that are then played in online schools, with tutors standing by for video-chat Q&A and explanations and clarifications for students, and thus save massive amounts of money while getting the absolute best ‘teachers’ out to each and every student?

    Report Post » Verum Ad Potentia  
    • Verum Ad Potentia
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:29pm

      …Oh! …and for all you lefties out there, think of all the “Green-house gasses” that won’t be emmited into the atmosphere by all the busses that no longer take the kiddies to and from school! Literally TONS of polution that would just cease!

      Report Post » Verum Ad Potentia  
  • love the kids
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:19pm

    You are all missing the point here, People reading this already have the internet, so you don’t really think about it. But, what happens if you don’t have the internet? The familys will demand, and then receive the internet for free, just like breakfast and dinner at school.
    My question is, if the internet can be used for this, why couldn’t it be used for the rest of the year? How about we send kids to school 1 day a week, with the other 4 spent at home on the computer? We could save billions on teachers salaries all across the country. Is anyone else thinking about this idea? Mabey this is what the snow day idea is really about.

    Report Post »  
  • righthanddrive
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 11:58am

    Another gimmick from the Teachers Association to early vacation. Whatever else will they think off next to get off from teaching our kids?
    Hey, with the Internet and kindle type gizmos we can teach our kids ourselves. So no need to pay school taxes.

    Report Post »  
    • Bhaub
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:04pm

      Er, actually, this would mean more schooling. Or, really, just assurance that the school schedule isn’t pushed around because of weather. No missed lessons or condensed subjects. It’s quite nice.

      Report Post » Bhaub  
  • ARIZONA VETERAN
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:41am

    BETTER YET, SHUT DOWN THE SCHOOLS AND DO ALL LEARNING ON-LINE!!! even outsource that to pakistan!!

    Report Post » ARIZONA VETERAN  
  • ARIZONA VETERAN
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:39am

    so now i guess actual tax payers will have to pay for welfare deadbeat parasite internet access… WTF IS THIS COUNTRY COMING TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post » ARIZONA VETERAN  
  • freedomcatcher
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:20am

    Too much academic slavery already. A persons mind needs rest and recovery time as much as their body does. Overtraining in athletics will sicken a persons body. Overtraining a mind will numb it. Snow days prvide a welcome break from the forced, driving, mental gymnastics the school system puts most kids through already. Kids will learn well at their own pace, not some planned schedual.

    Report Post »  
  • MikeinIdaho
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:12am

    Sounds like a plan to me! But I hasten to add that although we had over 160″ of snow this past Winter, I believe there were only two or three “snow days”. I guess we see Winter a little differently up here.

    Report Post » MikeinIdaho  
  • oldsoldier10
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:32am

    The internet SHOULD be the end of all physical public schools. NC has http://ncvps.com/ a virtual public school, wow can you image how much money you save with 1 teacher per class per county? No forced busing, no mass meals, no more subsidized educations. Each student can be easily equipped with a simple net workable laptop with wireless communications. This is how it should be done, I can get a Linux laptop for less than $200 and another $100 for cellular connectivity to the school or another network means. Physical schools are NOW a thing of the past!

    Report Post » oldsoldier10  
  • EZDOZIT
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:29am

    Thanks to Al Gore,the inventer of the internet.

    Report Post »  
  • mom4times
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:26am

    @DANINFISHERS, You make a very valid point. I do get worried about what my kids are taught and by whom and of their peers as well. My daughter comes home with stories all the time about how the other students and teachers dress and it sometimes blows my mind. Not to mention how the teachers act around the kids….makes me want to consider homeschooling more and more….then again…..what about my “vacation” from the kids during the day…just have one left at home plus farm animals……Just no easy solutions anymore with anything.

    Report Post » mom4times  
  • jollylama
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:23am

    here’s an alternative solution to traditional public schools – http://www.k12.com

    Report Post »  
    • mom4times
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:03am

      thank you for the link…..checking it out right now

      Report Post » mom4times  
  • SLR Cameras
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:10am

    Great idea. I wonder about the families that can’t afford the technology though.

    Report Post »  
  • JohnnyJT South Philly
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 8:20am

    It should

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • searching for the Truth
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:57am

    Yep! Teachers, welcome to Mac’s. Goat burgers anyone?

    Report Post »  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:48am

    Snow days leave the students with a learning deficit? Really, I mean, Really? Being taught in public schools leaves the students with a large learning deficit.

    Report Post »  
    • emertz8413
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 8:30am

      Yep, but not anymore than summer vacation, I guess. It’s time for year round school, if you ask me.

      Report Post »  
  • DadInFishers
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:35am

    I believe this will become a much larger part of education in the not-too-distant future as infrastructure costs, maintenance, and upkeep continue to rise putting financial pressure on school districts (and taxpayers), there will be an increasing number of districts that will introduce e-learning as a way to save money. There are plenty of correspondence universities popping up all over the country now and I expect that trend to spread into the high schools. So while this article discusses 3 or 4 days a year, snow days, I expect it to become normalized where a significant, if not entire, part of the schooling is done remotely via the internet.

    Report Post »  
    • mom4times
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:44am

      Have you ever seen the movie WALL-E……after you mentioning possibly all of schooling done on the computer, that was the first thing that poped into my head…..seems a little frightening to me. In the sense of only socializing through a computer screen :O

      Report Post » mom4times  
    • DadInFishers
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:12am

      @MOM4TIMES,

      There could be some truth to that, but the, now mature, home education that is moving into it’s second generation has sort of blown a hole in that entire “socialization” bogey man argument. In fact, the type of socialization that occurs in schools these days is one large reason many parents pull their kids from the schools. Last night a story broke nationwide of the Texas teacher who allegedly had sex with at least 5 boys. Is that the normal type of socialization parents desire or would learning behind a screen be preferred over that?

      Report Post »  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:07am

      I’ll second that!! Public School “socialization” was one of the main reasons we decided to homeschool. Not to mention the “education” standards……

      Report Post »  
  • jeff.cooper
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:34am

    OK, let’s just assume that every family has a computer or computer access, then this might work. However, the parents must then step in (which they already be doing) to make sure their son or daughter is participating, which pulls responsibility away from the student and pushes it on the parent. I think students must be responsible for their education.
    What if the school system requires families to have a home PC as a requirement for attendance…
    Is the school going to provide reduced cost or free computers to all families or just families in need? Is the school system going to provide waivers based on a poverty system? If yes, then there will be a group arbitrarily deciding everyone what criteria they will use to determine who is in need and who isn’t.

    The public system will be absolutely riddled with flaws if they go down this path. The wheel isn’t broken. If teachers have to stay a few days extra at the end of the year with students to make up missed days, so be it.

    Report Post » jeff.cooper  
    • Nobamazone
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:50am

      My oldest son is a freshman and at his High School they do require each child to have a laptop already. Yes, the school “gives” each child a laptop, for a “rental” cost of course. The fee due is based on the figures for free and reduced school lunches (based on 150-200% of the federal poverty level. And no, they cannot use their own laptops because (as the school explains) all must have the same programs so they are compatible with the schools systems and because the school does periodic checks on the laptops to be sure kids don’t visits sites not allowed. They technically own the laptops so they have the ability to do that. We parents are then forced to “rent” them for the school year.

      Report Post » Nobamazone  
    • jeff.cooper
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 8:31am

      If you don’t mind me asking, how much is the rental fee for the year or month?

      Report Post » jeff.cooper  
    • Nobamazone
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:54pm

      For children with free lunch it is fee, reduced… not totally sure I think it was like $25 a trimester, we had to pay $45 a trimester, so $135 for this year, hopefully the price won’t go up next year, I would absolutely just get him his own if that were allowed.

      Report Post » Nobamazone  
  • mom4times
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:33am

    I forsee a lot of cheating going on if something like this were to happen…..with systems the way they are now……who’s to say that little johnny actually did the work when his older brother/sister could have done it…..They would have to do some kind of video conferencing network thing to ensure students are doing their work…..not cheating on tests……that would mean that the school is watching my house (Big Brother)……No Thanks. I’d rather start homeschooling

    Report Post » mom4times  
  • NuffSaid
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:22am

    Yes. If but only if they convert to full yime h9me schooling, computers and access are tax deductions and teachers live are eliminated.

    Report Post »  
    • bryelee
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:12am

      I love this idea, it would open up money for properly educating special need kids and services to a lot of kids who have Autism as most states lack proper services to all of our Autistic kids.

      Report Post »  
  • Nobamazone
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:16am

    If this happened here I would have two very upset boys who depend on a snow day every now and then. Living in Northern Michigan this is like part of the school year, the schools even plan for a few (up to 5 for my boys school). Also, many parents are not able to stay home with their children on snow days and many of those children end up in a daycare or in a family members home, or even with an older school age child watching the younger ones. How would those children be able to attend a virtual school? Not even counting the kids who do not have Internet access or even a computer for some.

    Report Post » Nobamazone  
  • Sandy
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:09am

    Public school Teachers are becoming paper pushers. They no longer educate. Homeschooling next year through virtual schooling with a CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN program through Liberty University in Virginia.

    Report Post » Sandy  
  • oldasdirt
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 6:59am

    How about just useing a computer to teach everyday.Think,no more schools,no more school property.
    Less school taxes.
    I can almost smell the money saved.

    Report Post » oldasdirt  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 12:17pm

      Exactly he77 we could have programs where lower income families get assistance to pruchase computers or labtops.

      Report Post »  
  • ilmor
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 6:58am

    This is really for the Union Teachers, not the kids. This would ensure that they get more time off. Don’t let them tell us otherwise!

    Report Post »  
  • thebarbarian
    Posted on May 18, 2011 at 6:51am

    good? maybe… but what about the snow men and snow angels and snow cones(stay away from the yellow ones) and snow ball take the snow casle type fights? bummer dude.

    Report Post »  
    • GETLIFE
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:18am

      Yes, but after a few “computer days,” everyone would realize just how much time is wasted in school–which could eventually lead to more freedom and play time all year ’round. (We homeschooled….)

      Report Post » GETLIFE  
    • kentuckypatriot
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:33am

      Being a parent of a middle schooler, I think that’s a great idea. In my district, we have school busses and I am here to say every time it snows at least 2 – 3 “, they have a snow day. The last few years, the last day of school was well after Memorial Day. We didn’t have too bad a winter this year and I am rejoicing that she gets out on May 27. However, the article does bring up a good point about some households not having a computer, or families that have multiple children in school. Maybe the ones with several kids can get free laptops from the muslim in chief? Why not, he does it for the inner city folk, doesn’t he?

      Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 7:38am

      I have to admit, this does indeed sound like a good solution for when there are snow days, so I would say there is a good chance of success for it to continue until any politician or union decides to see if they can run it better…and then everything goes down the drain.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • smak
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 8:26am

      @can get free laptops from the muslim in chief? Why not, he does it for the inner city folk, doesn’t he?

      No, they don’t get free laptops.

      Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 8:54am

      Sounds like they could do that everyday and cut our state and federal budgets by trillions over the next decade. End schools,teachers unions,and liberal indoctrination in one fail swoop.

      Report Post »  
    • bryelee
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:05am

      I love this idea. There is plenty of time in the day for kids to play outside and do their schoolwork. I wish my district would do this! My kids do not spend the whole day or even most of it outside when it is too cold to be out long anyway.

      Report Post »  
    • bryelee
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:08am

      Kids still get time to play outside. Doing this time of work allows them to plan their day better and God forbid they learn something on a unscheduled day off anyway.

      Report Post »  
    • Mike Westfall No Hiding
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:42am

      This is a crank exercise. The teachers just don’t want to be in the classroom at all. Here is SE Michigan, every year they just happen to use the maximum allowed. Coincidence? I say not. If they can push bogus school work to the internet, I guarantee even more days off for the teachers. We had a bad ice storm and they called school 3 days in a row. Interesting how my fiance’s sun had to get on a bus the second night to play a 9th grade basketball game as the AD saw fit it was safe enough to get in a bus, drive 30 miles and play a game. Why wasn’t it safe enough to go to school? Just sayin…

      Report Post » Mike Westfall No Hiding  
    • Mike Westfall No Hiding
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:44am

      I got it! we can get rid of the teachers and the schools and the administrators all together. No need for kids to go to school at all. I love it!!!

      Report Post » Mike Westfall No Hiding  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 10:10am

      Remember the scandal a few months ago? Laptops issued to students by the public school had the “video camera” turned on, filming students at home…. and parents & students were not told about it. Just sayin……

      Report Post »  
    • nacilbuper
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 11:03am

      We should simulate what life would be like without computers on the computer.

      Report Post » nacilbuper  
    • stephenb.net
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 11:08am

      I think the internet can be a problem solver in many areas of education:
      1. Access- Each parent of a student enrolled in a class is given a code for the texbooks that they are using to monitoer the material. Students who are home sick can still complete assignments.
      2. Eliminate Book costs, damage costs and weighty texts being lugged around by kids in backpacks.
      3. Searching for study materials for tests is easier and more efficient.

      Overall using the internet for learning is much more efficient and cost effective for schools and parents and there is no reason at all why we have not begun to move in this direction already.

      Report Post »  
    • Okie from Muskogee
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 5:01pm

      One teacher can very easily teach 100 students if current technology was used and if schools were not daycares…

      If the sole purpose of school is to teach Academics then the cost of Internet access and a laptop vouchers for students would be far far less then the current cost for buildings, admins, teachers, utilities, etc….This would teach our children more responsibility at younger ages, remove politics/unions, force parents to be involved and create efficiency. This would remove nanny government…

      If a kid can pick up a ps3 and in two days beat a video game they can surely learn via computer/Internet/video chat..

      Report Post » Okie from Muskogee  
    • oldoldtimer
      Posted on May 18, 2011 at 9:04pm

      Who is going to supply the computers? Several Blk leaders have said internet and computers were a right. I guess this is their way of justifying them. We already know the working peoiple will pay for them for all the leaches.

      Report Post »  
    • Wolf
      Posted on May 19, 2011 at 8:03am

      Wouldn’t make any difference in snow days. When it’s cloudy, my sat dish doesn’t work, and I don‘t see mnay others’ being any different. Too, this ‘assumes’ every student has an internet connection of some sort. What are they going to do to those who don’t? Send them home to do their homework?

      Report Post »  
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