SOUTHWICK – An update on the status of alternative learning days for the 2018-19 school year for the Regional School District was provided at the school committee meeting Tuesday night.
Jenny Sullivan, district Curriculum Director, informed the committee that the pilot for the alternative learning days program will not move forward this school year as originally planned. Also referred to as “blizzard bags,” alternative learning days are project based learning assignments implemented when the district is closed due to weather after exceeding the allotted snow days.
“I’m feeling pretty confident that we won’t be able to move forward with the pilot this year,” Sullivan said to the school committee.
While a decision has been made for the 2018-2019 school year, it is unknown whether or not the school district will pursue the program for the 2019-20 school year.
Curriculum Director Jenny Sullivan gave the school committee the update on the alternative learning days this week. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
The reason for this decision is due to information Sullivan recently received from the Massachusetts DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). On September 20, it was relayed to Sullivan that along with M.A.S.S. (Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents), DESE was “in the process of developing some revised guidelines” to the alternative learning days program.
The revised guidelines are due to concerns that have been raised by parents and guardians throughout the state who have children with special needs and how the program would have services available for their children.
In February 2018, the school district sent out a request for parents to take a survey regarding blizzard bags. The district received over 500 responses to the survey
In May, the district voted in favor of approving alternative learning days. This program helps the school district meet the requirements of making sure elementary schools students reach the required 900 hours of learning, 990 hours for secondary schools, and a total 180 days.
The school district approved three days throughout the school year that would be used for alternative learning days, where students will do their classwork at home. Willard pointed out that the plan was to have the alternative learning days not be worksheet based, and instead be an extension of the classroom.
