On Feb. 2, 2022, ISD 761 Superintendent Mr. Jeffrey Elstad sent an email informing parents that school would not be in session on Feb. 21, 2022. The additional day off was put in place to give staff more time and to decrease stress. In the email Superintendent Elstad said, “Due to the continued impacts of the pandemic, additional staff planning and collaboration is needed to support the ongoing academic and social-emotional needs of our students.” 

The day will be used by staff to plan and workshop ideas on how to best meet the needs of students. OHS Principal Mr. Kory Kath said,“The focus of the day will be to do planning and to design interventions and access and communication with students.” The planning will include teachers determining how to help students who are behind, how to help students while they are in quarantine, and to look ahead and determine the most essential material for students to learn. 

The biggest reason for this additional student day off was to give students and staff more time. This additional time will hopefully help students and staff to recuperate and feel less stressed. The day off was strategically placed to provide a break near the middle of the semester. Principal Kath said, “One of the things that kept coming up time and time again was that we need more time.” The student day off on Feb. 21 will provide that necessary time.

Due to the additional day off, any additional snow days will now be e-learning days. E-learning days will be used so that the district does not have to add days at the end of the school year.