Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]By: Lauren Coffey
On Monday, February 16, Orange County Schools was operating on a half-day schedule, leaving three hours early, in preparation for the snow that was predicted. Around 4 pm that afternoon, temperatures were in the twenties and snow began to fall. School was cancelled for the next day. On February 17, more snow fell that night and froze with the low temperatures, creating a dangerous layer of ice. Schools were cancelled again. On Wednesday, the temperature fell to a low of two degrees, preventing the snow from melting.
A message was sent out that Orange County Schools would be having an early release day on Saturday. Many students expressed anger about this decision on social media platforms. The Saturday, however, could not be made up due to even more inclement weather that week.
In total, Orange County Schools has missed nine school days.
Neither teachers nor students have control over the make-up days, but that does not stop these individuals from having opinions.
“I think that make-up days are good because it gives us more instruction than if we did not have the school days, plus it won’t take that long since it’s just half a day,” freshman Ashton Kajcienski says.
“I believe that we don't get any education, our classes are shortened, and many teachers don't teach a new subject, and we mainly review stuff. It doesn't help us. It seems useless, because we never really do anything on an early release. Also, people have things that they have to attend on weekends,” freshman Ashley Harris says in regard to the caliber of education on snow make-up days.
“Well, I think that weekend make-up days are silly. Lots of people have other commitments, and many won't even show up. Teachers know that, so the work they have us do will be of little importance. Of course, the days do need to be made up, but I think that there may be other ways of doing so,” freshman Sophie Lamay says when asked her opinion on the teaching during Saturday school.
Since many think that school on Saturday would not be beneficial, Isabelle Hartmond offers another idea.
“I think we should just make the school days longer. Add on five extra minutes in the morning and five, or ten even, in the afternoon. That’s better than Saturdays, since no one would be missing the clubs, or sports, or family events they might be if we had school on Saturday,” she says.
With conflicting views and ideas on the subject at hand, the Orange County Board of Education has not made a decision on when the lost instructional time will be made up. In the newsletter sent out on March 1 by Will Okun, one of Orange High School’s vice principals, it states that “the district is currently reviewing the make-up schedule for the missed school days over these past two weeks; Saturday, March 14 is currently on the calendar as a make-up day.”
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