WESTFIELD –Families of students and staff at the Westfield Public Schools will receive a survey in the near future on the possibility of implementing Alternative Structured Learning Days (ASLD) or “Blizzard Bags” this winter which are, simply put, assignments done at home on snow days.
In a presentation to the School Committee on November 20, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski explained what Westfield’s Blizzard Bag program would look like, as opposed to those nearby districts who implemented the program last year or plan to do so this year.
Czaporowski explained that the last day of school in Westfield this year is scheduled for June 14. There are also five snow days built into the calendar, which would bring the end of school to June 21, if all five days are used. For the first five snow days, no student assignments would be given.
The Blizzard Bags would go into effect on snow days 6, 7, and 8. On these days, students would be asked to work on one of a series of linked, interdisciplinary projects that they would continue in school, and ultimately turn in by June.
If the plan is adopted, the last possible day of school in 2018 would be on June 21. Last year, Westfield called 8 snow days, and the last day of school was June 28.
“We’re hoping what is planned will be long-term projects, something they could do anyway,” the superintendent said. The plan would be to have projects that engage students in curriculum standards from multiple subjects, and would be assigned whether or not Blizzard Bag Days are used this year. Students would be assessed and graded like any other project that is assigned over the year. “If the project is not completed, it would certainly affect the overall grade.” Czaporowski added.
He said among the benefits are that students are continually working. He said this means no break before MCAS, and the same for AP courses. Another benefit for students is working on time management skills.
Czaporowski said union representatives are “ok” with the plan. The district hopes to make a decision on implementation by Dec. 18, based on the survey results and approval by the School Committee. He also said that Gateway Regional, which implemented Blizzard Bags last year for the first time did not have full support at the start of the program, but after the winter, a survey showed 70% favorable results. Gateway will be continuing with the program this year.
“If 80% of teachers don’t want to do it, we’re not going to do it,” Czaporowski said.
If the initial survey is favorable and the project is approved by the School Committee on Dec. 18, teachers will then have to have their plans in place by January 28 for approval by their principals. Three to four hours of at-home work is expected from students on Blizzard Bag assignment days..
At the School Committee meeting, member Diane Mayhew asked if DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) has to approve the projects as well as the framework of the Alternative Structure Learning Days. Czaporowski said they only need to approve the framework and times. He said the district may need to design special projects for English language learners and students with IEPs (Individualized Education Plans).
School Committee member Cynthia Sullivan asked whether teachers would have to make up the ASLD days. Czaparowski said teachers will be available to students for two hours during the day (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), plus two hours planning and two hours correcting which equal a full day of work.
School Committee member William Duval asked about families with no email. Czaporowski said the Boys & Girls Club and Westfield Athenaeum both offer access to computers, unless City Hall closes down the city on a snow day. He also said the projects will not be strictly computer-dependent.
Czaporowski said that he wants to survey families and staff in early December, and have the results back to the School Committee by the Dec. 18 meeting for a decision on whether to go ahead with Blizzard Bags this year.
Another change reported by the superintendent at the School Committee will be a change in practice for scheduled Early Release half days (E.R.S.D.). Last year, one of the eight days called for snow was an ERSD scheduled half day. While neighboring districts called for a two-hour delay, Westfield had to cancel school, because it was a scheduled early release day, and elementary school students would have arrived at school at 11 a.m. and been released at noon.
This year, if it is necessary to call a two-hour delay on an early release half day, that day will become a full day of school, and the planned professional development will be rescheduled. “It’s a way to gain back some time that we could possibly lose,” Czaporowski said.
