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As the snow comes fast, schools slow down
kira herron photo
As the snow piles up from a record setting season, the snow days add on as well, causing a delay for finals and a longer wait to get out of school for the summer.
With the winter season starting with a series of snow storms and below zero temperatures, the district has already canceled six school days which may be added on to the end of the second semester.
Sophomore Alma Zilic believes that concentrating in class will be harder as the weather warms up, and as students are making up snow days during the summer.
“Everyone’s going to be thinking about having fun and not really thinking about school (on those extra days). In the past, we’ve done pretty much nothing, just sat around and talked,” Zilic said.
Senior Ashley Foreman, on the other hand, says to keep the snow days coming.
“It feels phenomenal because as a senior I don’t have to make them (snow days) up at the end of the year. They (underclassmen) will probably be antsy because they just want to get out of school,” Foreman said.
Business and technology teacher Jacob Welchans believes that focus is always a problem as students stay in school for an extended time into the summer.
“It’s harder to get kids engaged than earlier in the year. It can cause more unsettled classrooms. But hopefully by the time we get there, we will accept the fourteenth (of June) as the last day. We’ve got to make sure we give students enough work because more free time causes more problems,” Welchans said.
The finals schedule has been pushed back close to two weeks throughout the whole district, giving students more time to prepare and review.
“I like the new finals schedule because I’m a procrastinator so it gives me more time to study. But some people work their butts of the week before finals, and now they might forget before next week,” Foreman said.
Welchans agrees with the change because it balances the two semesters out. To accommodate the changes, he’s had to stretch his last units out and shuffle his lesson plans.
“You just have to be able to be flexible and ready to change plans last minute. Roll with the punches and just go with it,” Welchans said.
Though summertime may not be the best time for concentration, extremely low temperatures may not prove otherwise.
“It’s kind of hard to concentrate when I’m freezing my butt off. Our school is cheap, and can’t turn up the heat,” Foreman said.
Welchans agrees that with cold temperatures comes decreased productivity.
“When I’m teaching a computer class, students’ hands get cold when they’re typing. Really cold days makes kids not want to do their work, at least in my computer classes,” Welchans said.
As for the period of time following the canceled school days, some students may need more time to get into the swing of things.
“I kind of get off my sleep schedule. For the days off, I sleep until noon or one and go to bed late. Then when I’m supposed to go to bed early on school nights, I can’t sleep,” Foreman said.
Zilic agrees that extreme winter weather affects students negatively in the classroom.
“You’re lazy and you just want to lay in bed and be warm all day. You don’t want to work,” Zilic said.
aye it’s kayla. I love how yall’s make this Challenger so nicely and fresh. thanks so much,
kayla gray.
freshman.
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