E-learning days will be used when no more snow days remain

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Making up snow days may be a thing of the past at the Henning School District.

During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Henning School Board approved the implementation of e-learning days in place of making up snow days. The change could take effect immediately and marks a sudden change for a school district that has long held out joining most of its neighbors in the region who have implemented e-learning days.

As part of the implementation of e-learning days, which was only briefly discussed at the school board meeting, K-5 students will have a choice board for each subject so they can decide what work to complete at home. The students will receive five options and will need to complete one of the options as part of their work for the day. The students will also have the option to complete the work online, or get a hard packet of handouts sent home.

Students in grades 6-12 will also receive a choice board with five different assignments to complete as part of the e-learning day, but their work will primarily be done online or through Google classroom. 

Staff members will be available to all students from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. on e-learning days. Students can contact the teachers by email during that time with questions about the work and assignments. The student and staff member can also speak over the phone or through Google classroom if necessary, but according to the plan adopted, will initially connect through email. 

In the past the school board has questioned the educational value of e-learning days, as opposed to building in snow days during the school year or adding days at the end of the year. There was little discussion regarding the implementation of the e-learning days with the exception of school board member Kim Haugen asking when the new policy would go into effect. 

Henning School Superintendent Melissa Sparks said school administration worked out an agreement with members of the Henning Education Association approximately two weeks ago for about three hours and again the week after to work on an agreement regarding e-learning days.

“(I am) very pleased with the collaboration with the HEA and the administration,” she said during the meeting.

Following the meeting, Sparks said the school district will utilize its three built-in snow days, as well as other days in the calendar like Easter Monday, before using an e-learning day due to inclement weather. 

The motion to approve e-learning days was approved 5-1 with Terry Oscarson voting in dissent.