As published in the Record Journal on Thursday February 14, 2013
By Kimberly Primicerio
Record-Journal staff
Nearly a week of snow days may be fun for students, but it’s less exciting for teachers who have to make up for lost time. Educators face adjusting lesson plans and going over previously taught lessons students may have forgotten.
Many local teachers are looking forward to going back to school after their unexpected winter break. They want to get back into their normal routines and prepare students for state tests. “We’re itching to get back,” said Maria Marcarelli, a second- grade teacher at Stevens School in Wallingford.
Wallingford School Superintendent Salvatore Menzo announced Wednesday that schools would be closed today due to narrow roads and snow banks. With a scheduled day off on Friday and Presidents Day Monday, students and staff won’t return to school until Tuesday, Menzo said.
An additional snow day means an additional day taken away from April vacation. Wallingford students will go to school Thursday, April 18, and Friday, April 19. Due to roof damage at Sheehan High School after Superstorm Sandy in October, students and staff at the high school lost an additional day of school. They will have to go to school for three days during April vacation, starting on April 17.
Marcarelli said going back poses challenges. Teachers are expected to complete teaching units within a certain time. She said she hopes deadlines are changed to accommodate the snow days.
Because the school system is following Common Core State Standards, units are new for students and teachers. This is the first year Marcarelli and her peers are teaching them.
Marcarelli also fears students haven’t been using their brains as much as they should be while at home. She said many probably watched a lot of TV and played video games.
“You have to kick start them when they get back,” Marcarelli said. Since Marcarelli started new lessons before the break, she’s also going to have to go over many of the lessons she spent time on last week.
Christopher Smith, a fourth grade teacher at Thomas Hooker School in Meriden, said he is concerned about teaching his students everything they need to know for the Connecticut Mastery Test, which is administered in March. Smith said time off means rushing through math units and other topics he would like to spend more time on.
February is also a shortmonth with a lot of history. Presidents Day is marked in February, as is Black History Month. Smith’s students are working on Presidents Day reports. He would have liked to give his students time to do research in class, but he doesn’t think that’s going to happen this week. They’ll probably have to do it next week during their February break even though some students may not have internet or library access.
“These are the topics I enjoy,” Smith said. The content is interesting and fun for the students,he said. Smith said he would have concentrated on the topics this week if it weren’t for the snow.
“I can’t devote time for that when we haven’t met in four days,” Smith said.
Meriden’s public school will be open today with a 90minute delay. School Superintendent Mark D. Benigni has been in contact with city administration and the Police Department on road and school conditions. The reason for the delay is to make sure students aren’t traveling during rush hour traffic, Benigni said. Extra police will be assigned to key intersectionsthroughout the city.
High school teachers are also trying to adjust schedules and fit in lessons to prepare students for the Connecticut Academic Performance Test.
Platt High School history teacher Geoff Kenyon teaches Advanced Placement courses. They move quickly and a lot of material is covered. He said students are going to have to make up for the lost time, somewhere, but he’s not sure where.
Even on snow days, Kenyon still tries to get students engaged. On Friday, he held an online review session on the social media site Google Plus. Students can also watch lectures Kenyon posts on Edmodo, another educational social media website. Students can ask questions and keep up with their studies.
Kenyon and other history and language arts teachers also tried to keep students’ minds active Tuesday night when President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union Address. Students and teachers tweeted during the speech. Kenyon said students enjoyed the activity.
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