Many students remember slipping a spoon under their pillow or flushing ice down the toilet to get a day off of school due to inclement weather. Snow days primarily affect students, presenting a brief pause from the requisition of school. Nevertheless, the transformation to asynchronous learning these days could have been better for Air Academy High School students. Rather than offering a reprieve, it frequently consists of exceeding sitting and screen time.
“Switching back to traditional snow days instead of e-synchronous learning introduces many challenges,” AAHS principal Mr. Olson stated.
However, the virtual environment fails to foster academic growth for students who value face-to-face instruction and dynamic classroom discussions. Face-to-face teaching is fundamental to many students, and taking that away with it being on the computer those days looks unnecessary. Instead, it could be used better if it was a break, and they saw their teacher and were ready to learn when the snow melted.
“Snow days used to be a time to relax and take a breather from the stress of school; they were about spending time with your family and not worrying about work,” senior Sarah Newbrough reflected.
Furthermore, snow days are meant to be a time to rejuvenate; however, staring at a screen can multiply stress. Subjecting oneself to this amount of screen time during these days meant relaxation heightens tension.
“Due to the constant brigade of notifications and assignments, I find disconnecting and focusing on myself hard. Those days to relax are so beneficial. I don’t care if I get rid of PLC days or go a little into the summer; I want traditional snow days back,” senior Neo Callahan stated.
By lifting the snow day limit, we can reclaim these days as opportunities for rest and recovery, ensuring that students return to school refreshed and ready to learn. Granting students the opportunity to disconnect entirely primarily benefits the student’s mental and physical well-being. School districts should realize the vitality of downtime, particularly in this principally digital society.
Many support lifting the snow day limit because it prioritizes students’ needs for knowledge instead of allowing them to take time and maintain a healthy balance between academic and personal wellness. Nonetheless, the positive applications of lifting the snow day limit bridges far beyond just students’ well-being. Snow days are a time for family and friends to join one another and revel in the charm of winter.
Allowing students to embrace these days fully fosters a sense of unity and connection that extends beyond the classroom. Of course, lifting the snow day limit is challenging. There are logistical considerations to consider.
“The potential benefits far outweigh the challenges when ensuring students access to resources and support during extended breaks,” said AAHS assistant principal Mrs Walhof.
Raising the upsetting two snow days a year limit allows us to put students’ well-being first, promote unity, and reinterpret what snow days are meant for. By adopting this opportunity, students can have a balanced life of fulfilling education and a time for rejuvenation.
