The Gateway School Committee voted on Wednesday to send the Blizzard Bags proposal to the state for review. (Photo by Amy Porter)
HUNTINGTON – The Gateway School Committee voted Wednesday to send a slightly revised Blizzard Bags proposal to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for approval.
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.
The at-home projects are prepared by the teachers for the students in their grade levels. Examples of some of the projects are available on the district website at www.grsd.org under School Committee presentations.
At the meeting, Dr. David B. Hopson, Gateway superintendent, said that he has met with all of the staff, and made some changes to the proposal initially reviewed at the last meeting. He also included five days for projects, down from the original six. Hopson said Gateway has averaged 5.4 snow days each winter.
Hopson also said that he had just received an email from Jeffrey Olson of DESE, who said he is looking forward to reviewing the proposal, but also noted that he is more interested in seeing how the projects meet students’ needs than in saving the district money. Hopson estimates the program could save the district $5,000 per day by eliminating make-up days.
Middlefield representative Sarah Foley asked if the project didn’t work in the best interests of the students, would there be a way to go back.
Hopson said it will depend upon the teachers to inform the School Committee on its success. The district will also be looking at how many students do the work, and how many will be marked absent for the day. He said the proposal allows for five days to make up the work, with the understanding that students with additional needs will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Some high school teachers have planned long term projects as well, which will have a deadline of May 15.
“As I told the teachers, you have to try it, to see how it works. If it doesn’t, we won’t do it in the future,” Hopson said.
Huntington representative Ron Damon asked the School Committee to commit to not judging the program by one day only.
Heather Morgan of Russell had another concern. “How will it work for special educations students with IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans),” Morgan asked.
Hopson said that any teacher with a special education student has curriculum that would be adapted. Special education students will also be given ten days to complete their projects.
Morgan also asked about the students that receive speech and occupational therapy. Hopson said those days would have to be made up during the school calendar.
Huntington member Jeff Wyand asked how the district will handle the wide range of internet access in the member towns. Hopson said that every teacher understands that if they create a lesson online, they will also have to do a pen and paper-based lesson for students without access to the internet.
The motion was made and passed unanimously by the School Committee to go forward with sending the Blizzard Bags proposal to DESE. If approved Gateway will be one of only a handful of schools in Massachusetts doing alternative snow day projects. School districts in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Ohio have also implemented the program.
