Can there ever be too many snow days?

Can there ever be too many snow days?
Posted on 02/02/2017
Snow catWritten by Lily-Ann Schneider, Student Journalist

Every high school student loves to check the school bus website and find out that it is a snow day, especially right before final exams.

Over the past month the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium has called several snow days, much to the delight of students. The temperatures have been jumping around from -10°C to 10°C causing many snow storms, flurries, squalls, and freezing rain. School buses are unable to travel in such conditions for both the safety of the driver and of the students aboard. From the first week back after Christmas Break, there have been up to two snow days per week!

Although all schools remain open for student learning when it is a snow day, many parents choose to keep their children home. Students who don’t go to school enjoy the gift of time - time for some extra studying, a chance to finish up projects, assignments and homework, and time to read. It is also the gift of time for less ambitious and industrious pursuits - such as being outdoors, or staying indoors and binge-watching three seasons of your favourite show on Netflix!

So many snow days comes with consequences though, especially when most happen right at the end of a semester. It can wreak havoc on a teacher’s carefully thought out lesson plan. It can cause extra anxiety for staff and students as everyone struggles to get caught up and cover all of the subject curriculum.

snow day picWith second semester starting in just a few days, but winter weather still firmly around, everyone must wonder - how many more snow days are in our future? And will the next snow day be a productive day to catch-up, or will it be an enticing invitation to do something different?