We are aware that snow days are a common occurrence in winter in Iowa, and we would like to share our plan for handling school closures due to inclement weather this year.
The state of Iowa allows school districts to use up to five “virtual learning” days instead of canceling school entirely. This plan ensures learning continues and avoids adding extra days to the end of the school year. This district will announce whether a virtual learning day is in effect in the event of a cancellation.
Here is what you need to know about our Snow Day Virtual Learning Plan:
Elementary School Students (K-4)
On a virtual snow day, elementary students will focus on enrichment and review activities designed to reinforce current learning.
● Assignments & Attendance:
○ Learning materials will be primarily provided through a paper packet sent home in advance and will also be available online.
○ Your student's teacher will designate specific "must-do" assignments from the packet.
These required assignments are the only ones that will be used to record attendance for the day.
○ Specialists (Art, Music, P.E.) will also provide "may-do" options for additional fun and learning.
○ The "must-do" assignments must be turned in upon the return to school to count your student as present for the virtual day.
● Teachers will be checking and responding to emails and messages twice during the day: by 11:30 a.m. and again by 3:00 p.m.
Middle School and High School Students (5-12)
Students in middle and high school will also focus on enrichment or review activities for each of their classes.
● Assignments & Attendance:
○ For every class, including electives, a pre-recorded video or typed lesson will be posted on Google Classroom. Each lesson is designed to take about 15-20 minutes.
○ There will be a corresponding assignment or exit ticket to complete on Google Classroom for each lesson.
○ To be counted as present for the virtual day, the assignment must be completed within two days of the snow day.
● We encourage students with limited home internet access to download lessons or materials prior to a snow day while at school or a public wifi location so they can work offline.
● Teachers will be checking and responding to emails and messages twice during the day: by 11:30 a.m. and again by 3:00 p.m.
General Information for All: ● Please remember, students do not need to log in at a specific time. The flexibility of this plan allows students and families to complete lessons and assignments when it works best for your schedule.
● If your student is ill or was already planning to be absent on a virtual snow day, our standard absenteeism policy will apply.
We appreciate your cooperation as we implement this plan to keep learning consistent this winter!