Are snow days a thing of the past thanks to virtual learning? Here's what NJ districts say
Winter 2020 promises another season of discontent for students. For many districts across North Jersey and beyond, snow days, a perennial source of serendipitous joy, may join the year's long list of upended traditions.
In a nationwide poll of principals and district leaders published this month by EdWeek.org, 39% said their district had converted snow days to remote learning days, while an additional 32% were considering the change.
Some consider this unfortunate. Snow days, they say, are like gifts during the darkest, coldest parts of the year.
"Sometimes a snow day is not a bad thing," said New Bridge Services CEO Michelle Borden. The nonprofit provides mental health counseling services.
A brief text in the evening or even early morning from a school-canceling superintendent promises a few hours' extra sleep and maybe some unplanned yet welcome respite, Borden said. A snow day affords an opportunity to bond with family members, take a walk in the snow and enjoy a break.
But technological advances spurred by the coronavirus mean kids no longer need to travel to school to get in a day of learning.
For some, remote learning represents a chance to stay connected. That's not something to overlook, given the youngest generation's penchant to connect electronically, Borden cautioned.
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For a number of North Jersey school districts, the decision on whether to close schools will remain moot for most of this winter. Districts such as Passaic Valley Regional, Clifton and Passaic are remote until the end of January.
Future years are less clear. Could snow days be over?
2020-21 may be unique
In the long term, once normal school sessions are resumed, snow days will likely return in 2021-22, said Carmen Cusido, the director of public affairs for the New Jersey Department of Education.
There's a legal reason for that.
"When we are no longer under this public health emergency, the authorization to use virtual/remote instruction in lieu of a snow day will only apply if the district is closed for more than three consecutive school days due to a declared state of emergency," Cusido said.
Steve Baker, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Education Association, the statewide teachers' union, said the situation in districts next fall will be different. Comparing this year to next will be like comparing "apples and oranges," Baker said.
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In 2020-21, districts worked to set up the educational infrastructure. Students were equipped with Chromebooks and virtual classroom programs put in place. Next year will bring new students and some new staff, and a quick pivot to remote learning may not be so easy.
"I don't think it's the same thing as flipping a switch," he said.
Changes to state laws and adjustments to technology will be required to standardized remote learning.
Districts differ
In Ringwood, snow days, by and large, are staying, said Nicholas Bernice, the superintendent of schools. With districtwide virtual instruction held each Wednesday, he said, it nonetheless may make sense to hold classes during a midweek storm under the current hybrid system.
"If a snowy day was supposed to be virtual and everyone knows it, then it is a virtual day — notwithstanding the snow," he said.
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"If we get a snowstorm on a scheduled in-person day and it is enough to be a hazard, then it becomes a snow day, just like we are used to, and everyone stays home, sleeps in, and has that delicious cup of hot chocolate for lunch," Bernice added.
Teachers carefully prepare lessons and expect certain materials to be available when they teach their classes, he said, and making a hybrid day virtual on short notice may upend their lesson plans.
"This is a recipe for failure and potentially a waste of valuable instructional minutes," Bernice said. "Presenting teachers with the impossible isn’t fair, and I want our students to be presented with the best instruction daily."
Mahwah schools made national headlines recently for announcing they would preserve snow days and acknowledging the importance of childhood joy.
Few aspects of childhood remain unchanged in the COVID-19 era, said Leonard Fitts, Mahwah's interim superintendent, adding that district officials are somewhat eager to call the snow days that are enshrined in the annual calendar.
"Snow days are chances for on-site learners and virtual learners to just be kids by playing in the snow, baking cookies, reading books and watching a good movie," he said. "These are times for memory-making, and we believe these types of opportunities should remain intact."
Other districts will press on, at least this winter. In Clifton, Passaic and Passaic Valley Regional High School, where virtual classrooms have been set up, snowfall that would normally keep children home is seen as a non-issue.
JoAnn Cardillo, the superintendent at Passaic Valley Regional, said the school will close only for power outages and other disruptions that prohibit online instruction. Montville Superintendent Rene Rovtar said she's on the fence. However, Danny Robertozzi, the Clifton superintendent, and Little Falls Superintendent Tracey Marinelli relayed plans similar to those outlined by Cardillo.
"However, I will closely monitor power outages and conditions that would affect the students’ ability to log on," she said. "If there are power outages in the area, then we would call a snow day."
Staff Writer Marsha A. Stoltz contributed to this article.
Matt Fagan is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: fagan@northjersey.com
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