Westport Public Schools allow 3 traditional snow days, Superintendent says: “…the experience of a snow day can be an unforgettable part of childhood and a unique opportunity for unstructured play.”

The email outlining 2020/2021 Snow Day protocols from Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice:

“Good morning,

I want to provide an update to the school community on snow days this school year.  Of course, after a 60 degree day yesterday, we are looking at a significant snow storm late Wednesday into Thursday. 

On October 7, 2020, for the 2020-2021 school year only, the Connecticut State Board of Education approved the use of a remote learning day in lieu of a traditional snow day.  Traditionally, snow days are required to be made up at the end of the school year.  Remote learning days are not required to be made up at the end of the school year. 

In reviewing the parameters of our current school calendar, if there are more than four snow days this year, the district is required to use the April vacation as makeup days beginning on Monday April 12.  I would like to avoid encroaching on the April vacation, and I would like to ensure with some certainty that the school year will conclude by June 23 at the latest.  Additionally, I may be a purist but I do believe that for most children, the experience of a snow day can be an unforgettable part of childhood and a unique opportunity for unstructured play.  

For these reasons, the district will allow for only three traditional snow days that will be required to be made up in June.  Any additional snow days beyond three will be remote learning days that will not be required to be made up in June.  There is one additional day built in that will serve as a buffer in the event power outages require a school cancellation.

Finally, and critically important for planning, we will not have "back to back" snow days in the event that snow clean up requires a second straight snow day.  If a second straight snow day is required, we will conduct a remote learning day on the second day.  This might be the case this Friday if the forecast continues to project snowfall well into Thursday.  Please plan accordingly. 

It is likely that we will experience power outages.  In the event of widespread power outages we will have to cancel school if the roads are not safe.  However, we will conduct remote learning in the event of minimal outages.

Due to transportation issues, two hour delayed openings and early dismissals as a result of inclement weather will cancel either the AM or PM elementary session respectively. 

For clarity, the approach to snow days can be summarized as follows:

• no more than three snow days this year

• remote learning will be conducted beginning with the fourth snow day

• an additional day has been built in beyond the three snow days to preserve April vacation and the end of the school year no later than June 23

• there will be no back to back snow days for the purposes of snow clean up on the streets

• there will be power outages, however, if the outages are minimal, we will hold remote learning days after three snow days

• a two hour delayed opening or an early dismissal will cancel the AM or PM elementary sessions

As circumstances emerge and evolve, we will make changes accordingly.

Thank you,

Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools”