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Many schools across the country have committed to embracing E-days instead of snow days.

Snow-Time!

By the Numbers

Iowa

  • Iowa created a solution to solve the 'No Child Left Behing' scenario and have implemented virtual school statewide, "Students without computer or Internet access get sent home with 'blizzard bags' of homework. More than half of the state's 1,000 school districts have submitted plans to the state for hosting virtual makeup days, Department of Education spokesman John Charlton said," (No More School Days).

New York

  • Even though E-days are not validated in New York, there is still the utilization of them, "More than 2,000 public high school students outside of New York City logged into their Macbook Airs from home as a storm bore down on the East Coast in February. Their superintendent, Erik Gunderson from Pascack Valley Regional High School District, is hoping lawmakers retool state law so those virtual class days count towards the state's 180-day mandate," (No More Snow Days).

Beginning the Process

Qualitative

Research/General Opinion

  • "'I'd rather have a teacher in front of me, teaching,' agreed Colin Cegelka, 17, a Notre Dame senior, who also anticipates logging onto his online contemporary law class if there is no school on Monday," (CTPOST).
  • There is the possibility of online, video teaching to allow the process to be more personal, "Cathedral senior Tommy Auger said doing classwork on his school Macbook Air from home didn't feel much different than a day in class. His math teacher even put up videos to walk students through solving problems," (No more snow days).

MOre Data

Chromebooks can be purchased for as little as $150, excluding school discounts and provide students with all the necessities such as Google Drive and Docs for homework.

Pain is sensed through temperature, pain, and pressure

My conclusions

  • There is one perspective in which e-learning is less personal and therefore less effective. Also, that snow days are meaningful in that kids have the opportunity to examine snowflakes, and make snowmen.
  • Conversely, kids who prefer their summertime are indifferent about how they obtain the material and rather just complete the work according to schedule, "Auger said he and his classmates agree -- they'd prefer to skip out on a day of sledding rather than make-up days in the summer," (No More Snow Days).

Civic Actions, Besides Research

E-mails

  • Mike France handed me his business card after the roundtable discussion, mentioning that I should contact him in order to gather supporters.
  • Since Ohio is one of the only states that accept E-days I notified the Fort Recovery Local Schools.

Input and Feedback

The roundtable discussion provided me with some insight on the pros and cons of my endeavors; March 18th, 2015.

cATHY oSTEN

Mike France

  • Began with explanation of the expansion of technology in the entire Ledyard School System. 'One student, One device'. $500,000 corporal grant requested for funding.
  • Continued with how difficult it would be to account for every student on each snow day and the amount of staff required to do so. Also, what are the consequences and how can the Board of Education determine if each student received the proper amount of learning.
  • My initial thoughts were that the board cannot conclude this on a regular day and most of the summer, replacement days consist of complacent kids and minimal work.
  • Unlike Osten, France immediately offered suggestions and tips for my argument.
  • First, he recommended that I research the methods utilized by online colleges to provide a structure when presenting my topic to others.
  • Additionally, in order to find the holes in my plan, I should consider my main adversaries such as those in support of 'No Child Left Behind' since not everyone possesses internet.

Results

Where did the idea start?

No reply.

Victory; Someday

What would success yield?

  • I do not claim to be the founder for the idea to perform schoolwork online, rather, I discovered the proposition by investigating the schools that already possess it.
  • For example, "State law in Ohio allows for up to three online learning days to count as regular school days each year," (Kirshbaum).
  • How it works- "Students who fail to complete an online assignment are to be marked as absent for the day, unless the student later completes the assignment under locally adopted policy. Students are given two weeks to complete assignments, and students who do not have access to technology or internet resources at home are given two weeks from the date that schools reopen to complete online assignments." (Kirshbaum). Additionally, there are 'blizzard bags' or paper versions of the digital material for those without any internet or computer resources.
  • Although the economy is struggling and paying for advanced technology is not currently feasible for many towns, Ledyard, the main achievement of my project would be to enable schools with the proper funding to be able to reduce snow days. If Connecticut passed such legislation such as Ohio has, then other states may follow suit and provide their districts with the possibilities as well.

Why is this a problem?

My findings

How does this impact us, teachers and our families?

  • The knowledge I have gained from this experience is not specifically project-related. Rather, I have gathered that change is difficult because many people do not like it and there will also be the point of view that differs from your own. This is important as it will assist me with dealing with people in the work environment as well as enhancing my ability to create the one thing that founded our current Legislative Branch, compromises.
  • People's precious family vacation time is being taken away, including holidays such as Veteran's Day.
  • AP Students, 'You're Screwed!'- The date of the exam is universal, meaning, everyone in the entire country takes it at the same time, no matter how many snow days New England had.
  • Ledyard is not synonymous with air conditioning, it gets hot when school goes till July.
  • Statistics- “A study done by an undergrad at Loyola University found that air temperature has an impact on memory ability... Room temperatures were set at 72, 80 and 64 degrees F. The outcome showed that in the environment with temperatures at 80 or 64 degrees, memory was impacted negatively. Test scores were significantly higher in the classroom where the temperature was 72 degrees,” (Do Classroom Temperatures Affect Student's Ability to Learn?”.

The Initial Proposal

New England continues to attract the likes of Nor'easters and blizzards that consistently cancel school.

Future

  • According to Section 10-15 of Connecticut legislation, "Public schools including kindergartens shall be maintained in each town for at least one hundred-eighty days of actual school sessions during each year," (Section1 10-15).
  • Nowhere in Connecticut statues is the issue or legitimacy of electronic learning days addressed, "There is no provision in state law to allow public schools to count at-home learning toward fulfilling a district's 180-day requirement, said Kelly Donnelly, state Department of Education spokeswoman," (Lambeck).
  • This causes controversy and hesitation for schools as they do not want to commit to school days that may be unaccounted for.
  • SO, I set out to propose the following amendment, "The Board of Education may, in the result of a school cancellation due to unsafe weather conditions, take into consideration the inclusion of a specified, school-approved, virtual learning day as legitimate time towards the previously mandated one hundred-eighty day requirement".
  • At the moment, I do not feel equipped to handle the craziness or locate the loopholes in politics and law. Also, I feel that with how tight money is as of now, the state and country are just not prepared to incorporate technology into school systems, especially with the echoes of 'No Child Left Behind' ringing in the ears of society. So, maybe in a few years myself or someone else could undertake this movement and attempt to persuade the Board of Education on a different budget. The conclusion will depend on the financial status of the state, as well as people's agreement to embrace the educational aspects that technology grants.

Civics In ACtion Project

Replacing Snow Days with E-Days

By: Joe LoDuca

Works Cited

Works Cited

"CHAPTER 164* EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES." CHAPTER 164* EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

"Do Classroom Temperatures Affect Student's Ability To Learn? - Screenflex Portable Walls." Screenflex Portable Room Dividers. N.p., 05 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

Kincaid, William. "Students Learn Online at Home during Snow Days | The Daily Standard Archive." Students Learn Online at Home during Snow Days | The Daily Standard Archive. N.p., 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

Kirshbaum, Lynn A. "Snow Days and E-Learning | Connecticut Education Law Blog." Connecticut Education Law Blog. N.p., 03 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 May 2015.

Lambeck, Linda C. "E-days Might Come to Replace Snow Days." Connecticut Post. N.p., 2 Mar. 2014. Web. 09 Mar. 2015.

"NAEYC Position Statement on Media Violence in Children's Lives." Young Children 45.5 (1990): 18-21. Web.

"​No More Snow Days: Technology Keeps Classes Going during Bad Weather." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2015.

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