Typically, when the calendar turns to March, it means winter’s impact on school schedules dissipates. Yet, on the fifth day of the month, all of Rockhurst awoke to a notification that a winter storm that moved through overnight was delaying the start of classes until 10 a.m. Such has been life for students, teachers, staff and the entire community during second semester, when tumultuous Midwest weather has affected no less than nine school days.
When winter weather strikes, the school usually has three options: cancel classes, hold classes virtually or start classes later. The latter two options are usually the ones most commonly utilized, though this semester classes have been canceled outright three times.
While these out-of-school days have afforded many students and teachers a welcome break, they also raised questions about what the process for making these decisions looks like. In a recent interview with Prep News, Assistant Principal of Academics Mike Wickenhauser said it comes down to three questions:
- Can students get to school safely?
- Can students get to school safely with a later start?
- Can teachers prepare a virtual plan in time for an online day?
The first step in determining whether students will have a snow or virtual day is looking at the safety of the trip to school. Most of the time, this means examining the roads.
“Travel conditions are the biggest [factor],” Wickenhauser said. “It helps to have a resident meteorologist on staff.”
This meteorologist Wickenhauser refers to is science teacher Tim Nendick.
“He sends these long, detailed reports. And a lot of that… is road conditions,” Wickenhauser continued.
Oftentimes, virtual and snow days can be staved off by a later start to school.
“Can we get them safely here if we wait an hour or two?” Wickenhauser said as he explained the thought process.
“If you can get everybody here by 9, then you shift to 9. If you can get everybody here by 10, [then you shift to 10].”
Unlike public schools, temperature is not a significant factor when determining a snow or virtual day.
“For us, since we don’t have students riding buses, they’re not waiting outside,” Wickenhauser said, “and so you’ll see public schools call because their students are waiting… for buses.”
The final determinant between snow and virtual days usually comes down to the teachers.
“Ultimately, it’s [Principal] Father Giacabazi’s call,” Wickenhauser said, “and he consults with the other core administrators.”
These core administrators then consult with coaches and teachers on if they can put together an agenda in time for a possible virtual day.
“I’m always trying to pay attention to teachers,” Wickenhauser said. “Can teachers get a virtual lesson ready and make it quality before… school?”
If teachers can’t reach this goal or classes aren’t worth having virtually, then Rockhurst will call a snow day.
While many students and faculty members enjoy the more relaxed nature of virtual days, non-in-person days can also disrupt important teacher lesson plans.
“There’s nothing… that can actually replace being in front of your students,” science teacher Paul Winkler said.
Winkler’s viewpoint on non-in-person days is one most students don’t have. With a 45-minute drive, he and his son have to navigate unplowed and icy country roads just to reach school.
Behind all the joy students experience courtesy a snow-dusted virtual day, there is also a grind teachers face to adapt plans.
“It’s a major adjustment,” Winkler said. “You’re trying to do the same [lesson], but… in a shorter period over a camera on a computer, so that’s very difficult.”
A key message Wickenhauser conveyed when talking with Prep News was his receptiveness towards traditional snow days.
“Sometimes you’ll have people say… ‘Snow days are completely gone…’ [but I’m] not sure that’s a good thing,” he said. “I think sometimes it’s good for students to have a traditional snow day, particularly if it fits at the right time in the schedule.”
With Rockhurst seeming to now be breaking free from winter, snow and virtual day considerations will fade away. In the unlikely case of another 2025 non-in-person day, insurmountable road conditions will have to be present. However, with Midwest weather, one can never be sure the season has changed.
