This year, snow days no longer come with the impending dread of having to make up the days at the end of the year. New legislation gives school districts the flexibility to define their own school year schedules, as long as they meet the 1080 hour requirement as opposed to the previously mandatory 180 days.

“The changes are built into this year’s academic calendar,” ICCSD School Board member and Chairman of the Policy & Engagement Committee Brian Kirschling said. “We will only have to make up enough hours to reach that 1080 hour threshold.”

Kirschling says that students should be happy about the changes because the new plan implements a large amount of extra hours as a cushion for snow days. Therefore, the year may not be as extended into the summer to make up for those missed days, as long as the 1080 hour mandate is met.

Many students however are unsure about how the changes work and how it will affect them. This is largely due to the infancy of the plan.

“I don’t really know much about it,” Laura Cornell 16’ said. “It all seems kinda confusing.”

Seniors are generally not required to make up snow days and Cornell says that the only thing she is worried is that this will change.

“Personally I would rather go to school on days like Martin Luther King day and Presidents day,” Cornell said. “And get the days off and at the end of the year.”

Junior Esme Rummelhart says that she doesn’t mind switching to hours instead of days, especially because it may make the school year shorter.

“I think people might think there are downsides if they don’t realize what is actually going on,” Rummelhart said. “But it’s not like making up the delays is going to to effect any of the students as people.”

The new plan will not only be in place for snow days, but also heat advisory days and any other similar situations.

“We are currently also working on more solid definitions, timelines, and guidelines for weather related cancellations so that parents and students can have a better idea as to when and how decisions for weather-related cancellations will be made,” Kirschling said. “These definitions and guidelines will likely be in place before Thanksgiving.”