CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A second blast of winter weather will likely force more county school superintendents to call off school again Monday.
Most of the state’s 55 county school districts had no in-person learning all of last week. Because of Christmas break, many students haven’t been in school since Dec. 20.
Some of those days will have to be made up but some won’t.
State School Superintendent Michele Blatt told MetroNews county superintendents are making informed decisions.
“The weather we are experiencing currently has caused challenges for most of us, and our school community is no exception,” Blatt said. “Our counties have plans which they are currently utilizing to protect the safety of students and staff, while also providing guidance for instruction. I know our administrators, educators and staff are eager to return to normal school days when it is safe to do so.”
State code allows counties to build as many as 10 school days into their calendars for times like these. They can have as many as five virtual learning days and five snow days.
According to the state Department of Education, “46 out of West Virginia’s 55 county school systems have approved applications for non-traditional instruction days which provide five days for off-site instruction. Each county has a policy determining how the non-traditional instruction days will be used. Parents are made aware of these plans in advance.”
Several counties used st least a few of those remote learning days last week.
The five snow days are available to counties who bank time when the weather is good. The time is banked by adding 30 minutes to the instructional day.
Several school districts have now used all of their snow days or have used a combination of snow and remote learning days.
The Department of Education says, “If counties have not applied for non-traditional instruction days or added 30 minutes to their instructional day, they must use Outside-School Environment Days or Out-of-Calendar days that are already built into their school calendar.”
Monday’s temperatures will moderate in the state with frigid temperatures set to return by mid-week.
