HUNTINGTON – Gateway Regional School District surveyed staff and parents in April about the first year of the Blizzard Bags in the district. Students are being surveyed now through May 15 on the district website at www.grsd.org.
Blizzard Bags are alternative learning projects for students to complete at home during or within five days of school cancellations for snow. The purpose is to engage students on days when they are unable to attend school, and also to eliminate the need to lengthen the school calendar at the end of June.
“Our estimated savings were in transportation, utilities, cafeteria and substitutes, averaging $11,000/day per snow day. This year students get out on June 14; without the Blizzard Bags, they would be getting out on June 21,” said Gateway spokesperson Wendy Long. The benefit of the Blizzard Bags is that the school year does not get extended due to missing classes because of snow.
The survey of staff and parents found that over 90% of students in every school returned their Blizzard Bag assignments, and 75% of parents and teachers recommended keeping Blizzard Bags at 5 days or expanding to more days.
Parents and teachers also agreed that five school days were enough time to complete the assignments (students generally have five days after the snow day to complete the assignment). They also said that the assignments given were appropriate, and that over the course of the year, the Blizzard Bags became easier to implement and understand, and assignments were related to what students were working on in the classroom. Most also agreed that Blizzard Bags would be easier if all of the towns had widespread broadband available.
“Areas that we want to focus on next year include accommodations for special education students and ways to support students struggling with the assignments,” Long said.
Gateway Superintendent Dr. David B. Hopson will be reporting on these results to the School Committee, and requesting that they approve five days of Blizzard Bags next year.
Long said several school districts have approached Gateway for more information about the Blizzard Bags program. A presentation to Southwick/Tolland/Granville is scheduled, and Westfield Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski has also expressed an interest in looking into the program. This year, Southwick’s last date of school is on June 21, and Westfield’s is on June 28.
