Claymont hops on board the snow day challenge

UHRICHSVILLE (WJER) (January 28, 2022) – Another snow day means another chance for area students to help their neighbors.

Tuscarawas County school officials have been issuing snow day challenges to students on days when there is no school. It started in early January when Newcomerstown High School Principal Josh Branch asked students to send in pictures of them shoveling snow. He sweetened the deal by entering submissions into a drawing for a 50-dollar Amazon gift card. The initiative spread across the county.

Claymont offered the Mustang Snow Day Challenge for the two calamity days at the beginning of this past week. High School Assistant Principal Kelsi Barnhart says students shoveled snow or did something nice for someone.

“Several kids made cookies to give to their neighbors,” she said. “We had kids shoveling sidewalks and driveways for neighbors and other relatives who couldn’t get out on their own.”

She got the idea from Newcomerstown.

“I thought this was a great way to get our kids involved in doing something on their snow days to give back to the community,” Barnhart said.

There might not be many traditional snow days left for some students. Ohio ditched the five-snow day maximum rule several years ago, leaving local officials to decide how to make up for lost learning. That could mean virtual learning for some students the next time school is called off. Claymont officials, for example, say teachers will teach virtually on the next snow day, which would be the district’s sixth this school year.

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