What if snow days were virtual days and we had more days off in the spring? HCPS has this plan in mind for the rest of the year.

   There is a legal requirement for how many days students have to be in school in a given year. In order for them to meet this set number of days while also accommodating potential bad weather, the county has decided to make further snow days this year virtual asynchronous work days. In exchange, the county said that schools would have all our unused weather days as extra student and staff holidays throughout the spring semester. 

   A majority of students have said that they don’t like the thought of having virtual days again.

   “Doing virtual days isn’t fun, and snow days are supposed to be off,” freshman Kennedy Reed said 

   Freshman Sophia McIntyre generally agrees with the discontent, but is resigned to accept the compromise.

   “I think it’s kinda useless in the end, but I don’t want to be here, so I’ll take what I can get,” McIntyre said. 

   Although they don’t like the idea of virtual learning on snow days, these same students are excited by the idea of the added holidays in the schedule.

   “That’s amazing. I feel like everybody needs it,” Reed said about the added days off. 

   Like most, freshman Keith Logan said he doesn’t agree with snow days being virtual because “you don’t learn anything in online school.” He is, however, in agreement with having extra days off in the spring. 

   Some students welcome the return of virtual learning opportunities if it offers other days off in the spring.

   “I like the idea of doing virtual learning on snow days because it was fine for me before,” freshman Jackson Hawkins said.

   While many students seem to be conflicted about the change, students and staff alike are sure to enjoy the extra spring days off this year. Whether this approach to snow days makes an appearance in future school years remains to be seen.