Internet Threatens 'Snow Day' Tradition

Sorry, kids, the days of the snow day may be numbered. The principle so prevalent at the college level of taking a class online is creeping into elementary schools, too, the AP reports. That means that when the snow flies, kids might have to log in from home instead of grabbing the sled. For districts in snowy regions—the story checks in on one school in Poughkeepsie that's on board—the practice can help school districts meet standards for number of days in session, without encroaching on spring break or summer vacation.

"Even if you can't continue on at the same pace, being able to keep students on track can make a huge difference," says the executive director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association. Big logistics remain, such as dealing with families that have no computer, or perhaps more kids than computers. And one parent in Poughkeepsie thinks the snow day tradition is worth the occasional day off: "When deep snow falls, the world becomes quiet and still," he wrote on the school website. "And if we listen to our instincts, we settle in and enjoy the pure joy of not doing." No kid is going to argue with that. (More snow day stories.)