Snowmageddon. Snowpocalypse. SnOMG! Make up any name you like to describe the unprecedented snowfall in the Midwestern, Central and Eastern United States this past February; they all mean “waaaaay too much!”
Those big fluffy flakes sure looked pretty coming down, but the ramifications of their arrival wreaked havoc in all manner of ways. One of the lingering reminders of the “Blizzard(s) of 2010” will be all of those school snow days…that must be made up. Parents and educators will tell you that there's more to these unscheduled “vacation days” than meets the eye!
Of course, a snow day at first blush seems idyllic. The kiddie's eyes twinkle as they watch the morning news breathlessly for word that their School or District has called off the show for the day. Visions of snowmen, snowforts and snowballs dance in their heads. The thought of hot cocoa and marshmallows gets them past that first half hour when their fingers freeze solid in their mittens. Family snuggles by the fire abound, and you may even get in a game of Scrabble! What's not to love?
Well, let's see:
• If you're a parent who works outside the home, or a single parent, the thought of a snow day from school may well strike fear into your heart. If yours is a profession that generally does NOT have 'snow days', then immediately you must find alternative arrangements for child care while you're gone. When schools are closed, Daycares and Pre-Schools follow suit. If no other care is available…this can spell lost wages and uncomfortable conversations with the boss.
• In the wake of a BIG storm, the resumption of classes depends mainly on safety conditions: of the roads, and of the buildings themselves. In many districts this month, schools were closed for up to seven days. SEVEN DAYS – plus weekends in between – away from school…away from routine, discipline and lessons which build upon each other. Now, different age groups react to this time away differently, but all must spend some time “getting back into the swing of things”. For a teacher, this is double work to refocus a class and perhaps spend valuable time re-teaching pre-storm material. When their annual curriculum clock is ticking and they will be held to certain benchmarks regardless of the harsh hand Nature has dealt them…this added stress is most unwelcome.
• We still have to MAKE THIS TIME UP! Sure, the teachers have jumped through hoops to catch the kids up, in order to keep from disrupting the entire schedule for the year. Sure, the kids have likely endured extra homework in the process. Is this likely to keep them all out of the classroom in late June or Heaven forbid, July… making up these February “Snow Days”? I'm betting on a resounding “no” in answer.
• Perhaps the most difficult obstacle to overcome as a result of a “Snow Day”, however, is how to explain to a child who has long forgotten the joy of icicles and mittens why they HAVE to go to school (gasp) LONGER than it says on the calendar!
While the standards and mandatory days in class vary from state to state, all of the affected regions are now grappling with these considerations – poring over their schedules in an attempt to squeeze those days in with the least hardship to everyone. If you're currently wrestling with these frustrations or others we've not mentioned, please share in the comments!
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By Lindsay Maines
