A few Clark County schools were closed with no instruction all week, while others turned to virtual learning.
In Champaign County, Graham and Triad local schools closed for the first half of the week and had school the last two days of the week.
Under Ohio law, districts are no longer limited to five calamity days but must meet a required number of instructional hours per year, and are allowed to use up to three online learning days to make up for instructional time when schools close because of severe weather or other circumstances.
Clark County
-Clark State College had virtual classes and services all week and buildings were closed.
-Wittenberg University moved to remote learning and instruction for all students and faculty the whole week, and the campus remained open and operational.
-Clark-Shawnee was closed all week and planned to return in-person the week of Feb. 2 “as the forecast indicates that temperatures and wind chills will be better than this past week,” said Superintendent Brian Kuhn.
“At this time, we are comfortably above the state-minimum hours for student instruction, and we will evaluate the need to modify the calendar once we are through the winter weather months,” he said.
-Global Impact STEM Academy conducted virtual classes all week, said Superintendent Josh Jennings. But the school has been using virtual learning days the last 13 years for a variety of reasons, including if they have to cancel school for a calamity day.
“There is no requirement for us to make up days or instructional time at the end of the school year,” he said. “Although not as good as being in person, our students receive instruction throughout the week, just in a virtual format. Having the flexibility to shift to virtual learning helps minimize disrupting and keeps the academic calendar intact.”
-Northwestern Local Schools closed all week and did not use remote learning days, and has used nine calamity days as of Jan. 29, said Superintendent Jeff Patrick.
Patrick said they have five makeup dates already established in the school calendar if they decide to use them, and are “well over” the minimum number of hours mandated by the state.
“Depending on the grade level, we are somewhere between 12 and 20 school days over the required number of hours,” he said.
Students’ last day of school is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, and if they decide to use any makeup days, the last day of school would be sometime during the week of May 25, Patrick said.
-Springfield City Schools closed every day of the week and don’t currently have to make up any days at the end of the year unless more closures are needed, said Communications Specialist Jenna Leinasars.
-Tecumseh Local Schools was closed all week and did not use any virtual days, but will remain above the state instructional hours even with the recent winter storm and school closure, said Superintendent Paula Crew.
She said they built an overage of instructional hours into the calendar, which also includes several non-student days remaining that could be transitioned to instructional days if needed.
Crew said they made the decision to not have virtual days “thoughtfully and with equity and practically in mind.”
They factored several considerations into this decision, such as not all students have access to district-issued Chromebooks for use at home, some students experience limited or no internet connectivity at home, virtual learning can be difficult to supervise for younger students, and virtual days can only count toward instructional hours when teachers provide live instruction, which isn’t always feasible when teachers also have their own children home because of weather closures.
Champaign County
-Graham Local Schools used Monday for a traditional calamity day, and Tuesday and Wednesday as online learning days, said Superintendent Chad Lensman.
“By using online learning days this week, we maintained instructional hours and reduced the likelihood of extending the school year,” he said. “(And) the goal is to be as aligned as possible with in-person instruction.”
During online learning days, Lensman said students are able to participate in teacher-directed, real-time instruction or check-ins aligned with their school schedule; they’re held accountable for attendance and staff follow-ups with families through communication platforms to make sure students are engaged; and students also have access to intervention specialists, counselors and other supports as needed.
-Triad Superintendent Vickie Maruniak said if they miss another day, it will be a teacher work day. After that, they have three remote learning days to use, and then plan to exchange the teacher work day with a student day.
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