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VINCENT — In a recent board of education meeting, the Warren Local School District outlined its innovative approach to handling snow days.

The district’s approach reflects a commitment to balancing educational continuity with flexibility for both students and staff. The district has adopted a tiered system that blends traditional snow days with technology-based solutions and teacher professional development for a total of nine snow days for the school district.

According to Warren Superintendent Kyle Newton, over a decade ago, Ohio moved from a system that allowed five “forgiven” snow days to one requiring schools to meet specific instructional hour thresholds. This shift prompted districts to devise their own methods for handling inclement weather disruptions. Warren has crafted a unique system involving waiver days, forgiven days, and online instruction days.

Waiver Days allow teachers to complete pre-approved professional development or curriculum planning activities, often outside regular hours. School principals validate these activities and cover the first three snow days, ensuring instructional quality is maintained even when classes are not in session.

Forgiven Days allow students to be excused for the next three snow days without makeup requirements. This approach mirrors traditional snow days but is capped at three days.

Online Instruction Days are designated for up to three additional snow days, during which remote learning takes place using tools like Google Classroom. While high school and middle school students primarily engage with online assignments, elementary students may complete worksheets or other offline activities tailored to their needs.

If winter weather necessitates more than nine snow days, the district will make up missed instructional time starting on the tenth day, as stipulated in the school calendar.

District leaders emphasize that the system values the efforts of educators while ensuring students receive uninterrupted learning.

“Our approach validates the hard work teachers do outside the classroom while accommodating the challenges of Ohio winters,” said Newton.

Warren Local’s system is distinct among Ohio districts, reflecting a collaborative agreement between administration and staff. The district’s proactive planning ensures that education continues smoothly despite unpredictable weather.