Henry James asserted that the most beautiful two-word phrase in the English language is “summer afternoon.”
Generations of New England schoolchildren know better: “Snow day” wins every time.
But while the snow piled up Thursday morning, students at many, if not most Upper Valley schools, opened their computers and logged into class meetings and homework online.
With schools now well-versed in remote learning, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, will there still be joy in Snowville?
Not to worry. School leaders who set up remote learning for students on Thursday said that the snow day, that hallowed institution that allows even the diligent student to feel slightly truant, isn’t going to disappear. This is just another feature of 2020.
Lebanon schools held remote learning Thursday in part because school started later than usual this year, Lebanon High School Principal Ian Smith said. And students will be on vacation starting Monday and get a longer winter break than usual.
“I think the (Lebanon School) Board made a decision to place a value on student learning and have it continue,” Scott said.
At Mascoma Valley Regional School District, students had remote classes Thursday in part because the school year is already scheduled to end on June 16, not including any snow days.
“That’s late,” Superintendent Amanda Isabelle said. The district is taking the long view: “Nobody wants to be here when it’s 90 degrees out.”
Thursday’s storm presented a good opportunity for a test run of a quick turn to remote learning, Isabelle said. With a significant storm predicted, Isabelle sent out a notice Wednesday afternoon and students were able to bring home everything they needed.
“I thought, ‘This is the perfect time to try this out,’ ” she said.
Jamie Kinnarney, superintendent of White River Valley Supervisory Union, which oversees 10 towns stretching from Strafford west to the Green Mountains, felt the same way.
“I personally believe it was a good idea to try it, to see if we’re prepared for a closure in case of COVID,” he said.
Public schools that hold remote learning also must provide meals, so staff had to go to White River Valley SU schools on Thursday to prepare them. Kinnarney said that if he’d realized it was going to keep snowing most of the day, he would have called a snow day.
Prior to this year, the Vermont Agency of Education didn’t allow for remote learning for bad weather, Kinnarney said.
As long as a certain percentage of students participate, the day counts as part of the school year, he said.
Despite the need for participation, Kinnarney said that if parents want their kids to have a snow day, they can opt out and the absence will be considered an excused absence.
“I’m making it optional,” he said. “You’re still marked absent. It’s just I’m willing to excuse you.”
No less august a parent than New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu weighed in on snow days. “Snow Day = Snow Day,” he posted Wednesday afternoon on Twitter. “I hope kids in NH will get the chance to get off the screens and into the snow tomorrow. One of the true joys of being a New Hampshire kid.”
Some schools let kids off the academic hook Thursday. Schools in Hanover and Norwich posted a notice on their websites: “No School Thursday. Enjoy the beautiful snow that has fallen and we’ll see everyone tomorrow!!”
Amy Newcomb, of White River Junction, was happy that her son, Calvin Mills, 12, had the day off from the Upper Valley Waldorf School. “Snow days are snow days because they don’t have a way to have everybody remote,” Newcomb said.
“I think it’s great,” she said. Calvin played outside all day. “It’s part of being a kid in New England.”
The snow day is likely to make a comeback, particularly once the pandemic is over and students are back to in-person schooling, school officials said.
“People are concerned that we’re going to take away the joy of a snow day,” Is abelle said.
Like the pandemic, it’s temporary.
Alex Hanson can be reached at ahanson@vnews.com or 603-727-3207.
Correction
Ian Smith is principal of Lebanon High School. His surname was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.
