Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools: Weather-Related Schedule Changes Include Possible ‘Snow Days’ And New E-Learning Days

Press release from Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools, ISD 196:

October 8, 2021

Beginning this year, days when the normal school schedule needs to change as a result of excessive snow or extreme cold, the first two of these days in any one school year will be school cancelations (“snow days”), with no regular classes at school or online. Any additional days beyond the first two (inclement weather days 3-7), students and teachers would work from home as part of E-Learning Days that would be new this year, if needed.

Snow Days (days 1-2)

If/when school is canceled the first two times this year, same as in years past there would be no regular classes for all students (including 196Online) and the following activities would also be canceled:

E-Learning Days (days 3-7)

If/when there is a third inclement weather day in one year, all students scheduled to have school that day would participate in an E-Learning Day from home.

If an E-Learning Day is called, teachers will communicate with students through Seesaw and Schoology to post assignments, instructional activities and resources to guide students’ learning for part of that day, but there would be no synchronous (Zoom) instruction. Students would be expected to access Seesaw/Schoology in the morning and be engaged in learning, with flexibility in how and when they choose to do the work.

Teachers would be available during regular school hours to respond to student/family questions sent by email and phone call messages left on their work voicemail, but there would be no synchronous (Zoom) office-hour sessions.

The state allows districts to have up to five E-Learning Days per school year. Students are considered in attendance for an E-Learning Day unless a parent or guardian contacts the school to verify an absence.

2-Hour Delayed Start

If the opening of school is delayed for weather, school buses operate on a two-hour delayed schedule, meaning students will be picked up at their bus stops two hours later than their normal pickup time. When there is a two-hour delayed start, the following activities are canceled:

Communication of Schedule Changes

Snow-related schedule changes: the superintendent will make a decision by 5:30 a.m. to delay the start of school or cancel school. No communication is shared if school will start on time.

Cold weather-related schedule changes: the superintendent will make a decision by 6:30 p.m. the night before. District 196 schools will cancel school for cold weather if the National Weather Service forecast for 6 a.m. the following morning calls for:

If school is canceled for cold weather, SAC is offered at predetermined locations only for families already enrolled in SAC.

Communication Methods

Information regarding school cancellations and delayed starts is shared in the following ways:

For more information about protocols for inclement weather, visit our school cancellation and delayed starts page.

This press release was produced by Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools, ISD 196. The views expressed here are the author’s own.