On February 12, Rochester Community Schools experienced their fifth snow day due to icy roads after receiving multiple inches of snow earlier in the weekend. Many students and teachers seemed to enjoy the day off of school.

“Sometimes it’s good to have a break,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Prindle.

Both Ms. Prindle and freshman Kate Faglie agreed that they enjoyed their occasional snow days away from school. Although snow days might be fun, the reasons for cancelling school are valid.

“Safety is the number one priority of the students and even though the main roads may be fine, subdivisions or backroads may not be,” said Ms. Prindle.

While many may enjoy the nice break from school, after the sixth snow day, Rochester Community Schools may have to make up cancelled school days at the end of the year. The website for the Michigan Department for Education states that Michigan law allows districts to have six days off from school when necessary. Faglie agreed, saying that she thinks the appropriate number of days allowed off should be six. However, Ms. Prindle feels the days should be adjusted according to the weather.

“I think it should be dependant on what the winter is like,” Ms. Prindle said.

Although a few days off may not drastically affect classes and assignments, the five days that Rochester Community Schools has experienced can take a toll on classes. Tests and quizzes have been pushed back and homework assignments were delayed.

“Things have been pushed off,” Faglie said.

However, Ms. Prindle took to viewing the missing days in a much more positive way.

“I think it’s made me move more quickly,” said Ms. Prindle, “Especially with my English class, where you have to change how you’re teaching versus what you’re teaching because you still need to get in the curriculum.”

The purpose of calling off school is for the safety of the students, teachers and staff.

“I think that [snow days are] useful” said Ms. Prindle,  “Safety is the most important, so even if we do have to make [school days] up, safety is the number one concern and the number one priority.”