Happy New Year to all of Warhawk Nation! I’m excited for all that 2021 will bring and the possibilities of getting back to some sense of normalcy. Although we have been very fortunate when it comes to winter weather, there is no doubt that things could change very quickly. As a result of Covid, and our West Fork staff having to provide online learning, it has provided us with an opportunity to do something different this year regarding the traditional snow days. In the past, any school days that were missed had to be made up at the end of the year. Those days can add up quickly and can put summer plans on hold for families that are trying to schedule a family vacation, it can also leave students who are looking for a job in limbo when we are unsure about the end of the year, etc.Our plan for this year is if there is inclement weather predicted the day before, and we have time to ensure that any student needing a device is able to take one home and has access, and teachers are all prepared to offer online from home, then those days when we are unable to have school, would be an e-learning day, and not have to be made up at the end of the year with our students. These days would be mandatory and not optional for the students. Missed work/assignments would have to be made up and attendance taken. The virtual learning day will
NOT require students to be sitting at a computer/device for 6-8 hours. Just because we would be proactive and make plans to be ready in case we cannot have school, does not mean if the forecast were wrong we would still have the normal day of school. *Note: If school is ever delayed or cancelled, there will be a notification sent. Just because your student may bring home a device, or the procedures for online were reviewed does not mean school is cancelled for the following day. It would mean that we are preparing so we are ready just in case.
We know there are going to be days that may catch us unprepared to offer the virtual learning option for all kids. There have been times when there were things that happened with the weather that we were unable to predict or control. On those occasions, we would have a traditional snow day and would make it up. Our hope/plan would be that would not happen very often and that even if we had to make up a couple of days, we would still be out of school with students in May and before Memorial Day this summer. We do not want there to be lost instructional days and if students do not have their devices and/or are unprepared and do not know what to do, how to check in, etc, we would need to make those up.
Teachers will review with their students, and there may be communication from the teachers with parents depending on the age of the students just to ensure we are all on the same page as to what the expectations will be for those e-learning days. Although the forecast is good for a few more days, we never know at this point in the year what could happen.
This plan would not affect what we do on those days of school when we have a late start or if we would have to dismiss school early due to weather. Those days would be like what has been done in the past.
