School 'Snow Day' Debate On The North Shore

SALEM, MA — The predawn anticipation of huddling next to the radio for snow cancellations may be a distant thing of the past in the age of social media blasts and automated calls, but in 2020 a new wrinkle to the school "snow day" is whether that means a day or off or a day in front of the computer for North Shore students.

For the first time ahead of Thursday's snowstorm, superintendents faced balancing the consistency of switching staff and students to remote learning amid the changes of the coronavirus crisis, or giving everyone a little breather as they dig out and maybe enjoy a little socially distanced sledding in a punishing pandemic year.

Beverly, Danvers, Peabody and Salem were among the North Shore schools that had a remote learning day on Thursday, while Marblehead, Swampscott and Essex Tech opted to go old school and cancel school outright.

"Two areas of concern within our schools has been the loss of learning and the impact of mental health on our students," Peabody Superintendent Josh Vadala said in a letter to the school community. "As a result, we have decided to engage in remote learning on inclement weather days this year. Given the fragmented nature of learning environments over the past 10 months, the continuity of instruction is extremely important for students.

"In addition, it is arguably more important to provide our student with access to their teachers, support and classmates. The pandemic has left many of our students feeling isolated and alone. Engaging in a remote learning day will ensure they have access to teachers, counselors and peers throughout the day."

Marblehead Superintendent John Buckey took a different course down the snowy path in determining that a traditional "snow day" off could just be what provides a fleeting sense of normalcy in the most disruptive of years.

"I also believe that with the stress we are all experiencing, a snow day would be beneficial for students and staff alike," Buckey said in a message to the Marblehead community. "It's a simple joy that we can all still have, even mid-pandemic. If the reactions from the first-graders I visited with at Coffin (on Monday) are any bellwether, a snow is still a childhood joy."

Essex Tech Superintendent Heidi Riccio said she also opted for the day off because many of that school's students work through snowstorms by plowing.

"We asked that students send in pictures of themselves helping a neighbor shovel or their parents (shovel)," Riccio said. "We wanted them to be tech free."

Danvers Public Schools already made the decision to switch to remote learning through at least Jan. 8 due to rising coronavirus and staffing concerns in the district, but Superintendent Lisa Dana told Patch the district will utilize remote learning during weather events once it switches back to hybrid learning.

Salem Superintendent Stephen Zrike was among the first superintendents in the state to push for a "snow day" to become a remote learning day. With the majority of Salem students still in remote learning since September anyway, it was determined a December day in front of a screen might be better than a late June day added to the 170-day school calendar.

"A lot of people have asked: 'Why eliminate the snow day?'" Zrike said in his weekly video chat with parents on Wednesday. "We feel our remote experience has been a positive one — by and large. Teachers have worked really hard to create strong experiences. I don't know a year ago we would have thought we'd be able to do this, and pivot the way we are on a day of snow.

"Because of the pandemic we are in a great place to take advantage of this day. I have a lot of concerns — I always have — about the days at the end of the school year, which I didn't always feel were the most meaningful days for students when it was hot, summer vacation was around the corner. If you ask any educator, it's not as rewarding an instructional day as (Thursday) will be for our students."

Peabody attempted to alter the remote day so that it was not all learning and no snow play.

"Schedules will be structured to allow families some time in the morning to clear snow, followed by some structured learning activities with a break for lunch and additional unstructured time — to go outside or enjoy indoor activities," Vadala said. "The day will conclude with additional structured learning time and check-ins with school staff."

Zrike, like other superintendents, said school will be canceled in the case of an extreme storm that involves power outages.

As with most everything over the past 10 months, there is no blueprint for determining the best use of a day where students are stuck at home because of the snow, with the lessons learned from Thursday's experience likely paving the way for "snow day" decisions the rest of this winter — and perhaps beyond.

"We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we navigate these challenging times," Vadala said.

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Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza

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