Everyone loves a snow day; however, in Haywood County, we often receive more than our fair share of learning interruptions. Asheville receives about 10 inches of snow each winter, while Waynesville averages around 14 inches. In the higher elevations of our area, however, totals may exceed two feet in a single season. The vast variations in terrain often combined with lack of consistency in precipitation amounts from year-to-year means we do not necessarily have equipment adequate to clear roads quickly. Therefore, even though it snows much more often than neighboring cities like Greenville, SC, and Charlotte, each accumulating winter weather event tends to lead to school closures and delays. Haywood County schools can experience snow days from November to March -- even April.
How to Keep Learning During Haywood County Snow Days
When the snow days pile up, they can distract your children from academics and study, resulting in poor performance when the ice melts. In this article, we want to help parents keep up the momentum of academics even during snow days.
1) Enjoy the Snow
Snow days are a special occurrence, especially for your little ones. Even if you are a grinch when it comes to winter weather, enjoy the opportunity for a break and time to play in the snow. While your kids are playing in the winter wonderland, there is still time to learn:
- Watch meteorologists like Jason Boyer and Brand Panovich discuss weather systems
- Learn about anatomy as you gather sticks for the snowman’s arms and legs
- Teach your children about speed, trajectory, and velocity while sledding down the local hills
- Remind your children about friction as you slip and slide on the ice
2) Continue to Monitor Screen Time
Eventually, outdoor play will give way to extensive time inside. It will then become tempting to throw away the rulebook in regard to screen time, especially as the volume increases. Though you may allow a slight increase in screen time for older children due to the special circumstance, you definitely want to take a bend-don’t-break approach to those rules. Snow days are not for infinite video games, tablet, and television times, if you want your children to return to their academic endeavors without major interruptions in their study habits.
3) Hot Chocolate and a Book
Rather than allowing infinite screen time, make some hot chocolate and join your children in finding a place in your home to sit by the window with a good book.
4) Ask Your Teachers
Before the snow day strikes, engage in a conversation with your children’s’ teachers about what they could be working on when school is out.
5) Get Ahead on Projects and Papers
Your child’s teachers might remind you of upcoming papers and projects with due dates in the future. The snow day affords the perfect opportunity to kick procrastination to the curb and get ahead on long-term assignments.
6) Visit a Learning Institution (if safe to travel)
When the roads are clear and safe, if museums and other learning institutions are open, use a snow day to make learning a family outing.
If you would like to know more about how to help your children continue their studies on snow days, Haywood Christian Academy is here to help. Contact us for snow day learning tips, or for more information about our school.