With the Coronavirus pandemic, schools have been able to easily initiate remote learning with students as most assignments are now online. Many school systems across the nation have now decided that assigning remote learning days on snow days will allow students to be able to keep up their work when reaching a building that is inaccessible.
Unlike in previous years, students have ready access to online learning thanks to school-issued Chromebook computers. Websites like Canvas allowed students to do everything from checking their grades to submitting assignments and projects. Online assignments provide a much cleaner alternative to paper-type assignments because it’s easier to manage grades and quickly message teachers about changes in grades or mistakes.
Despite all these positives from using online resources, many students are not happy about these decisions. The majority of students say that they should be allowed to have these snow days off and enjoy the free day. For many, online school was an incredibly stressful and unproductive time. Students felt as though they learned very little and found it hard to complete assignments with a lack of instruction.
"It feels like a 50/50 on having to do those remote days because I don't feel like we learn much, but at least it lets us finish school earlier," said Isaiah Watson, sophomore.
Still students are left with worry about remote days since classes in the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2021 were often graded based on participation rather than mastery of content.
"It was much harder to focus online last year because it was so easy to get distracted," said sophomore Nick Approchaie. "It didn't really feel like you were in school."
Students may not have fully recovered from the almost one-year absence from in-person classes and the consequences that came with that.
School officials are hoping that the exchange of some inclement weather days for remote learning will allow students to be able to keep up with their work even during the harsh mountain winter.
“We hope students will be able to be productive on snow days," said Ms. Rachel Shepherd, Assistant Principal at Watauga.
Officials are hoping that this can solve the age-old problem of school closure during the winter months by providing a constant amount of material that can be updated and continue ongoing lesson plans.
“We know that the students may not be very happy with the idea of staying indoors and doing school, but it’s important that they get the additional instruction,” said Shepherd.
Being able to have school on snow days will most likely allow the school to end earlier with fewer days being needed for make-up time.
“We have a certain number of days and hours that are needed to complete the school year,” explained Shepherd. “If we can get those days in during winter it could allow students to get a long summer break.”
Not every snow day will be a remote learning day as officials know that students need to get some fresh air and enjoy the snow.
“The kids deserve to have some free days too, and enjoy our local environment,” said Shepherd.
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