Mid-Ohio Valley school administrators plow through snow day details

(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)
PARKERSBURG — As winter weather brings the potential for school closures, local school districts are sharing their protocols for managing snow days while ensuring minimal disruption to instruction and learning.
Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis outlined their approach.
She said the district utilizes “equivalency time,” adding 30 minutes to school days from the beginning of the year which can be used to forgive up to five days of missed classes due to inclement weather. With that equivalency time already in place, students will not have to make up the last five school days missed; however, any additional closures beyond the five days will need to be made up, Willis said.
The district also has six out-of-school environment days available for students to use. Willis said June 11 is the last possible day for students to be in the classroom and that teacher contracts end on June 13. She said inclement weather plans will be discussed at Tuesday evening’s Wood County Board of Education meeting.
Fort Frye Local Schools prioritize safety by monitoring road conditions with the help of township trustees, village officials, and state road systems.
The district allows up to five traditional snow days without affecting the academic calendar.
Beginning on the sixth snow day, Fort Frye transitions to online learning. Students access assignments virtually through school platforms or receive hard copies of coursework in advance if they cannot access internet connectivity or technology at home. Maintenance teams ensure facilities are prepared for snow removal, prioritizing safety on school grounds.
Marietta City Schools follow a similar approach with five traditional snow days. Starting on the sixth day, remote learning is implemented.
Students receive assignments through platforms like Google Classroom, and teachers are available virtually throughout the day to assist. Paper copies of assignments are provided for students without internet access, with a 7-10 day completion window. Remote assignments focus on reinforcing previous lessons, with advanced courses occasionally introducing new material.
Warren Local Schools use a phased approach for handling snow days: For the first three days, they implement what are called “waiver days.” Waiver Days allow teachers to complete pre-approved professional development or curriculum planning activities, often outside regular hours. School principals validate these activities.
Forgiven Days allow students to be excused for the next three snow days without makeup requirements. This approach mirrors traditional snow days but is capped at three days.
Online Instruction Days are designated for up to three additional snow days, during which remote learning takes place using tools like Google Classroom. While high school and middle school students primarily engage with online assignments, elementary students may complete worksheets or other offline activities tailored to their needs.
If winter weather necessitates more than nine snow days, the district will make up missed instructional time starting on the tenth day, as stipulated in the school calendar.
For grades 5-12, students with internet access use platforms like Google Classroom to continue lessons virtually, closely aligned with ongoing classwork. Younger students, particularly in elementary school, use paper-and-pencil packets distributed beforehand via email or hard copy. However, hardcopy material is made available to students without internet access at home.
Warren Local Schools accommodates students without internet access by allowing flexible assignment submissions. Teachers are required to accept work from students who face connectivity issues, ensuring no child is penalized for technological limitations.
Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com