South Huntington Schools To Hold 'Virtual Snow Day' Thursday

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — The South Huntington School District will hold a "virtual snow day" on Thursday due to the winter storm hitting Long Island. Sorry, students: It's not a full day off.

Thursday's schedule will feature a modified remote school day running 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for all schools in the district, Superintendent David Bennardo said in a letter to the community.

"This reduced schedule will provide our students and parents time in the morning to shovel and clear snow, as well as time after 2 p.m. for sledding and other typical snow day activities," Bennardo wrote.

The New York State Department of Education offered districts the option to make snow days in 2020 remote learning experiences due to the unique challenges posed by the coronavirus outbreak, according to Bennardo. South Huntington will try the virtual day as a pilot test which may or may not be a long-term practice. It would allow a "tremendous amount of flexibility" when organizing the calendar, Bennardo said.

Silas, Stimson and Whitman schools will operate with periods of 28 minutes and two-minutes between classes.

"We recognize the unique nature of this situation and have provided teachers and students with great flexibility to work in real-time or by assignments, Google meetings, discussions, etc., depending on the age and circumstances of each case," Bennardo said. "While attendance will be taken, we will allow teachers the flexibility to determine the time required and the rigor of assignments."

At the primary level, students will take a 30-minute lunch break starting at noon with an art or music class around the final hours of the school day. Assignments will be made "manageable" in recognition of the snow day format, and teaching will take place through independent assignments, individual activities, Google meetings, etc.

"We will not expect under any circumstances that a child or teacher will be tied to your screen for hours on end," Bennardo told parents of primary students.

"The bottom line is that, like everything else this year, the dynamic is very new to us," he continued. "We are testing this virtual snow day model with the expectation that our staff and students will rise to the occasion, as they have in the past, and forge a pleasant path for our family of learning."