Snow Days

Snow+Days

Kathleen Kuzmic, Staff Writer

As yet another winter storm advanced this past weekend, the students of Alliance High School received the announcement from Dr. Troy Unzicker, the Alliance Public School’s Superintendent, on the cancelation of school due to the drastic conditions.

There has been a total of five snow days thus far in the school year due to complications with the weather. According to Dr. Unzicker, snow days are decided on the safety of the students and staff. Decisions are made depending on the conditions of the weather: whether wind, snow, ice, or temperature are tolerable enough to attend school.

As stated by Dr. Unzicker, the staff eventually makes up for the days missed. Each year, teachers are required to sign a contract, indicating the amount of time necessary for achieving their responsibilities as instructors; a total of 185 days in a school year. A student’s involvement with the school system is determined by the number of hours spent in a school year. At the high school level, students are required to attend certain educational courses up to 1080 hours. Teachers are obligated to complete their ordered amount of days regardless of how many snow days interrupt the school year. However, students are only required to make up days missed if and only if they fall below the mandatory amount.

Children and students of the public schools have always hoped and prayed for snow days. Many even perform silly acts such as flushing ice cubes down toilets and wearing their pajamas inside out, aiming for a single off day. However, would another day off this season be worth the possibility of extending the school year a whole extra day?