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A potential Seattle-area snow event next week won’t matter — school kids will be home for a two-week holiday break. But the school district is preparing for a big change — a remote learning plan that would mean no “snow days” in 2023.

Seattle Public Schools has announced a new remote learning plan to replace the longtime tradition of snow day cancellations.

“We cannot predict or control the weather, but we can maximize our response to it,” the district’s announcement reads. “Technology provides a way to engage with students even when winter weather makes it unsafe to go to school buildings.”

Under the plan, families will receive communication from the district if there is a two-hour delay or a switch to remote learning. “Families will also receive communication from a student’s school with more information about how the school day will look if we have a remote learning day,” the district said.

The new standard will call for a two-hour delayed start on any first days of remote instruction.

The shift comes after SPS developed infrastructure and training for its educators and students to implement remote learning during COVID-19 restrictions. It now plans to use that structure to help avoid costly cancellations and added days that can stretch the school year deeper into summer.

Every student in the district already has access to an SPS-issued device including laptops for older students or iPads for younger grades. Families in need of internet access at home can also apply for an affordable service program.

Meanwhile, with an eye on forecasts for potentially cold and snowy weather over the coming weeks, the district said it will make sure kids take the devices home over the break and are prepared should the remote instruction plan need to be activated when school starts again in January.

The National Weather Service says the forecasts for next week are still being worked out but that there will be low temperatures and arriving storms and precipitation that could result in anywhere from trace amounts to inches of snow. Agencies like the King County Regional Homelessness Authority are preparing with a schedule of expanded cold weather shelter resources.

 

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