Students return to school after two-week break
“School buses handle snow differently than personal vehicles due to their size,” Cromer said. “Because buses are rear-wheel drive, an empty bus can be dangerous to drive in snow because it lacks the necessary weight to stay grounded."
Students in Floyd County Public Schools (FCPS) returned to the classroom this week following an unplanned two-week break due to inclement weather.
FCPS Superintendent Jessica Cromer said the top priority when it comes to making weather-related changes to the schools’ schedule is student safety. She works closely with Transportation Supervisor Paul Robertson, and they often consult VDOT representatives and multiple weather reports when determining the safety of bus routes. Cromer said that FCPS likes to communicate any schedule changes with families as early as possible, whether that be the night before or by 6 a.m.
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“School buses handle snow differently than personal vehicles due to their size,” Cromer said. “When loaded with passengers, a bus can weigh 20,000 to 30,000 pounds, which helps the tires gain traction. However, because buses are rear-wheel drive, an empty bus can be dangerous to drive in snow because it lacks the necessary weight to stay grounded. The newer buses are equipped with "Onspot" chains that the driver can engage with a switch for immediate extra grip.”
Cromer explained that the first few days back for students are geared toward reintroducing the classroom routine and rebuilding the classroom rhythm. She said teachers, who also have the job of reworking their lesson plans after an extended break, will typically give students time to “reconnect socially and share their experiences” before diving into review and preparing for state testing at the end of the year.
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“The loss of face-to-face instructional time hurts our curriculum pacing,” Cromer said. “[Teachers] will be much more aware of how every minute is spent, and as a result, everyone will be a little more focused to finish the year… In the classroom, teachers will be very intentional about their classroom activities, assignments, and assessments to be sure they provide students with effective learning experiences and adequate opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the content.”
While time outside of the classroom can be considered disruptive, the only calendar change for this school year took place on Monday, Feb. 9, which was supposed to be a professional learning day for staff and instead became a regular school day. Cromer said that this kind of flexibility, alongside the fact that FCPS “banks hours” that help make up for missed days through its longer-than-required school day, helps minimize the impact of inclement weather.
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“We also have more days in the second semester to account for the increased possibility of winter weather in those months,” Cromer said. She noted, “winter is still around, so if we miss too many more days, we might look at more changes.”
Stay up-to-date on FCPS calendar changes and more at www.floyd.k12.va.us.