CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When a big storm hits, kids get excited because it usually means no school. But with the pandemic, online instruction makes it easier for schools to simply shift to remote learning.
Several school districts in the Charlotte area chose to go virtual Friday, which poses the question, are snow days a thing of the past?
For generations, snow days meant sledding and sleeping in.
Now, it may mean logging onto your laptop.
"I want snow days back," Teddy Hibberd 9th Grader Gaston County School District said.
With schools already set up for virtual learning, many districts are making a decision to continue online learning.
9th grader, Teddy Hibberd, goes to Gaston early College High School. He received a text Thursday night, saying he had a virtual school day making snow days a thing of the past for him.
"It would have been really nice to have a snow day especially with all the work I already do have even though school has just started for me," Hibberd said.
Viewers capture snow in the Carolinas
Several schools decided students can learn virtual, Friday including:
- Gaston Public Schools
- Hickory Public Schools
- Rowan-Salisbury Schools
- Alexander County Schools
- Watauga County Schools
But some districts like Iredell-Statesville Schools decided to keep the snow traditions alive.
"We were so excited there would not be a virtual school day," Iredell-Statesville Parent, Tiffany Hovis said.
Hovis' kids are in 4th and kindergarten. Their snow day was guaranteed, despite the lack of it.
"I was hoping it was actually going to snow," Mackenzie Hovis said.
Instead, Mackenzie had a playdate.
"I think kids need to be kids and if they get the opportunity to have a snow day or an extra day where they can play with their friends and do fun things, I think kids grow up too fast as it is," Hovis said.
It's still unclear if the school districts that went virtual Friday, will end snow days for good.