Between concerns about schools staying open and the challenges of learning remotely, teachers and students are haunted by another question that goes beyond 2020: Will snow days disappear forever?
The Kansas News Service reports that schools invested in both the know-how and technology to teach students remotely.
In the midst of a pandemic, they had no choice.
The resulting capability to hold classes that reached into students’ homes means that severe winter weather doesn’t have to shut down virtual schooling – but Kansas school districts are reluctant to freeze out the snow day tradition entirely.
For one thing, months of online learning have exposed the practice as less effective than in-person classes.
For another, educators embrace those weather-driven, stress-free breaks just like the kids.
Except for bad – and forecasted – storms, snow days probably won’t go away.
Remote classes can’t happen after a sudden snow storm if the kids weren’t sent home with the proper technology.