The board of education in Montgomery County, Maryland, approved a resolution on Thursday that gives its superintendent the option to switch to virtual learning on snow days.
“This would just give us another option to maintain instruction if we had a multi-day event,” said Brian Hull, chief operating officer for Montgomery County schools.
Under the plan, which still needs to be approved by the Maryland State Department of Education, the superintendent will have the discretion to switch to virtual learning on days when school buildings are closed due to inclement weather or days “that may interrupt regular in-person operations.”
Chief of District Operations Dana Edwards said the county would switch to virtual instruction if the district experienced a “multi-day event.” It would give students and parents 24 hours’ notice, and by noon the day before, that the school system would be switching to virtual learning.
However, not every snow day will be virtual, said Edwards.
“This does not replace the traditional snow day. However, it does provide us an option,” she said.
Montgomery County schools would inform students that they need to take devices home for virtual learning. The school system supplies Chromebooks and MiFi wireless routers to students without broadband internet access at home.
The resolution is similar to a virtual learning plan that Montgomery County schools had in place last year.
Other school districts in Maryland — including Prince George’s and Frederick counties — have also opted for the option to switch to virtual learning on snow days.
