Winter Weather Pivots Some Schools Online, While Others Use Traditional Snow Days

The winter weather is forcing many schools to cancel classes this week. Some districts prefer switching classes online to keep school calendars in tact while other schools have built-in snow days to use.

Tulsa, Bixby and Jenks Schools will be closed in all capacities for another day. Meanwhile, Owasso Schools will pivot to another day of distance learning on Wednesday.

Several districts said they have the capability to switch to distance learning and students are familiar with the process. However, preparation plays a big part in pivoting and the latest round of winter weather caused problems.

Owasso students starting in 6th Grade have a Chromebook to take home. When freezing drizzle fell Sunday, the district said students already had their devices with them, which led to an easier call to switch classes online.

“If we’re able to be on with lights and have WiFi, it seems like distance learning is a good option in some cases,” said Mark Officer, the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for Owasso Public Schools.

To keep the school calendar in tact, the district is moving classes online instead of taking traditional snow days this year. This could be altered should something like an ice storm cripple the power supply.

Students and teachers log on to class using their Chromebooks or other devices.

“It’s available anywhere on any type of device, so no matter where out students are or what their access to devices is, they’re able to jump on and keep up with what’s going on in the classroom,” said Officer.

Other districts canceled school in all capacities on Tuesday instead of switching online. Districts including Bixby said several students went home last weekend without their Chromebooks.

Jenks Public Schools said it already has distance learning days in its calendar so the district prefers to use snow days already built-in to the calendar.

It’s a similar preference at Union Schools; a spokesperson for the district said a number of parents prefer to have traditional snow days as opposed to distance learning.

Administrators in Owasso plan to talk at the end of the school year with families and teachers to determine if switching to distance learning over snow days was effective.