This petition is for the benefit of both students, faculty, and parents alike. During the covid 19 pandemic, schools in our nation have made alot of tough calls, difficult changes and created necessary policy and procedures to adapt to this challenging new situation and the problematic presence of Covid 19. 

One of these changes had been the presence and implementation of remote learning. A beneficial tool allowing students and staff to continue to learn and educate in the presence of increasing covid 19 cases in their communities. Remote learning allows for students to no longer be restricted in their rights to an education if their community faces a rising number of covid cases. Allowing both infected and unaffected staff and students to continue to engage in school while preventing the spread of the disease.

However, it seems that the determination of keeping education going has now spread to effect our snow days. 

Though I believe remote learning is beneficial when Dundee school is facing several days of closure because of covid, the use of remote learning in other instances such as a snow day, seems excessive.

Staff are already stretched thin and working overtime to do everything they can for our students, going above and beyond expectations. Though the amount of work needed to switch to remote is beyond my awarness, it seems giving staff a day off or at the very least, a day to catch up, wouldn't go amiss. A snow day would give teachers maybe some breathing room, as we all know a teachers day dosent end with the last bell. Some even work weekends grading papers, and creating the next weeks lesson plan. 

Covid 19 also has many students stressed. Being because of changes to their routine, lack of the ability to communicate and play as per pre covid days, or because of the extra steps and precautions they must make to ensure both their safety and the safety of their families. Parents too could do with a snow day. If you're lucky enough to have the day off from work, snow days are a great way to bond with your children and maybe take the day to relax with them. 

Therefore I create this petition to bring to the attention of administrative staff, though we appreciate remote learning and its usefulness in continuing the education of our children, I think it unnecessary to now take snow days from them too. Dundee does not often have severe enough weather to merit a snow day to begin with. The fact that we have had 2 opportunities this year for a snow day, is unprecedented in our schools closure history. Many schools, such as Penn yan, Watkins Glen, and even as far as Elmira have closed on these days. On both December 17th of 2020 and February 2nd 2021, of the schools effected by the severe snow storms in our area, Dundee was one of only a few schools that continued with remote education. Both on February 2nd and December 17th, Penn Yan and Watkins, neighboring schools to our own, gave their students a complete day off. 

Please, give the students and staff back snow days. Covid 19 had taken so much away from students, do not let snow days become a thing of the past as well.