While students were catching up on sleep during the extended weekend, the staff of Galena High School were looking at something more important: the prospect of having a two-hour delay for the second time this month, or even possibly an e-learning day.
Heading the decision to affect the school day is Superintendent Mr. Vincent. He comments that “An adjustment to the day usually is only necessary if it affects the travel for student drivers and buses, or is too cold for students to be waiting outside at the bus stop unsupervised.” To see if those criteria can be successfully met in order to have a shortened or e-learning day, observation is required.
“I have several weather services that I look at,” explains Vincent, who says that he tries to have a scheduling decision made the night before. “I look at the overall projections for ice, snow, or cold and really pay attention to the timing of when it will start or stop.” Based on this information, he and other staff members at Galena High School are able to reliably predict whether it is okay to go to school.
If the roads are safe and plowed by 8:30, Vincent will allow a two-hour delay, something that will not be considered when accounting for how many snow days a school is permitted in a year. Similarly, there are also no limits on cancellations to the school day, which Vincent will only announce if he cannot give advanced notice to students and teachers about inclement weather that leads to dangerous roads.
For Illinois schools, five e-learning days are permitted every year and are given in advance due to the change that occurs switching from in-person lessons to virtual learning. Once that’s been finalized, preparations occur.
“I have to create a method of taking attendance, whether that be a Google Form or a Google Meet,” explains English teacher Mrs. Bookless, who holds an online learning photo contest during e-learning days to encourage students to submit silly pictures of themselves performing virtual learning for a chance to be in the yearbook. “Then, I come up with an assignment that students can do that is similar to what we would have done in the classroom.”
The protocol for after-school activities varies a little bit more. “We want to make sure that we think about every activity that is going on,” explains Vincent, who comments that “there are often field trips that we make sure not to overlook planning for.” During times like these, communication is imperative.
Vincent had previously mentioned that activities would have reason to cancel if visiting school districts opted out of arriving from concerns of weather or if transportation faculty shared concerns of the diesel engines in buses gelling up from their lower tolerance of frigid temperatures. For away games and meets, that decision would lie on Transportation Director Mr. Wills.
If staff do choose to cancel after-school programs, an extra wave of communication is issued “for coaches who do not work at school” so that they are also adequately informed on the issue. “There are also practices and outside teams that use our facilities, so we want to make sure they know,” explains Mr. Vincent, who mentions that “We also want to update our contact lists so that we are texting and emailing everyone in the district.”
Informed and specific planning in advance proves to be necessary in order to gauge what is best for students and staff heading into the winter, where winter storms will force Galena and nearby school districts to weigh the possibility of a snow day. By employing necessary and appropriate protocols, school staff can accurately make a decision that serves GHS best.
