Is the Snow Day Dead?

Fleetwood Area High School Flexible Instruction Days (FID) are meant to benefit students education. An important aspect of high school is making sure grades are good and one’s mind is focused on school work, studying, and homework. Snow days can be different for many people.

“FID days are pointless when it comes to doing work,” Fleetwood senior Wyatt Dunkelberger said. “Snow days are meant to be days to relax and give your mental health a break from school and people. Pushing online classes on top of that doesn’t work out. It is hard to focus at home, which is why I take my classes in school.”

FIDs are meant to be educational. Fleetwood Area High School provides an education when students are out of the classroom so they have a chance to learn on days when transportation can’t be provided.

“Most parents have kids who are too young to do homework or classes alone, so the parents have to be there. That takes time away from parents’ jobs, having to stay home and call out. That’s less money to pay bills and less time being put into work that needs to be done,” Fleetwood freshmen Mike Rusk said.

Lots of parents have work responsibilities or take care of other individuals. Missing those obligations can be detrimental. Some families cannot miss work at all, so it costs them more to pay someone who can watch children and help with school.

“I would rather have days added to the end of the school year and just have my snow day,” Dunkelberger said.

Fleetwood Area High School has done its job to provide students with education, but from some students’ and parents’ perspectives, it’s not the schooling that is the problem: people just miss snow days. A lot of students wondered if a FID could potentially be optional, but in Pennsylvania, it is mandatory to have 180 school days. Without those, the district would run into issues like adding days to the end of the year or shortening up breaks in the winter and spring.

“It is more important to me to get a good education when it’s needed and to make memories in high school with friends while I still can. Snow days are an opportunity to do that,” Rusk said.

FIDs are not for everyone. In the eyes of many, they still need adjusting to work effectively in school, but even those who would rather go sledding cannot deny the importance of a high school education.