Sep 25, 2014 4 min read

Some of our readers who are of the same general age as certain newspaper editors of our acquaintance will surely remember the joy that accompanied the rare occurrence of having school canceled by a snowstorm.

Of course, those were the days when students walked 10 miles to school, uphill both ways, and in weather that would have made Admiral Peary turn back in horror. Perhaps we exaggerate, but it’s no exaggeration to say that it takes considerably less in the way of inclement weather for school to be delayed or canceled in this era. An inch or two of snow virtually guarantees a two-hour delay in classes, and anything beyond that typically leads to cancellation in at least some of our more rural districts. When a cancellation occurs, districts must find a make-up day somewhere in the school calendar, or tack days on to the end of the school year, when everyone involved would rather be doing something else – like not going to school.

It has taken longer than it probably should have, but the state Department of Education came up with an excellent alternative, called the “Flexible Instructional Days” pilot program.

According to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, all of the state’s 501 school districts are now eligible to come up with their own plans – pending state approval – to educate their students through nontraditional means when snow makes travel sketchy.

For many, that will mean offering instruction via the Internet. Of course, not every child has a computer or online access. The state recognizes this, so the program will require school districts to provide those youngsters with alternatives to complete their work.

A number of school superintendents contacted by the Inquirer already are looking toward participation in the program.

And if they need advice on how to proceed, they might want to contact Lisa Hoban, principal of Holy Rosary Regional Catholic School in Plymouth Meeting. She told the Inquirer that when a winter storm hit her area last year and the school was closed for two days, she used a Web-conferencing app called GoToMeeting to create virtual classrooms for her students in sixth through eighth grade, who all were equipped with iPads.

However, one superintendent, Downingtown Area leader Lawrence J. Mussoline, told the newspaper of his concern that the “curricular sequence would be somewhat negatively impacted” if not every child could participate via the Internet. That, to us, seems like a problem that can be overcome with proper planning.

Our meteorologists aren’t perfect – that’s a subject for another editorial – but most times, we have a pretty fair idea whether a significant storm will be hitting our area the next day. That’s the point at which forward-thinking school officials and teachers can develop their plan of action and point students in the right direction. For some, that means being told to “tune in” to the Internet for the next day’s instructions. For others, that might mean guidance on how to work ahead independently in case of a “weather event.”

Mussoline also noted that the state has 22 objectives that must be met before a district can participate in the pilot program, and he estimated that it might take weeks, perhaps months, to get everything in place.

In that case, our advice to Mussoline – and to leaders of every other district in this area and around the state – is to get cracking. Flakes will be in the air before we know it, but the worst of the coming winter is still far enough away that no one should have any excuse for not getting on board.

One suggestion: In place of phys ed, build in a little time for sled-riding.