The past two weeks, winter storms named “bomb cyclones” have unleashed feet of snow and ice across North Carolina and the United States. Although the northern parts of the country are already adapted to this kind of weather, North Carolina and other southern states are experiencing whiplash from the sudden flurry.
Although WUNC reports that the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has laid over 120,000 tons of salt across the state’s roads and pre-treated them with more than 10 million gallons of brine, icy conditions forced schools across the state to close multiple days over the past 2 weeks. The closures started on Jan. 27, with one closure, three remote learning days, and four delays. This comes at the beginning of the semester for numerous schools, such as Athens Drive. The schedule changes are causing frustration among students and faculty, as they are heavily affecting their learning and teaching.
The closures and delays of the past two weeks have been both a blessing and a curse. Although it has provided a much-appreciated break from the six-hour school day and exam week, many students are now struggling to get motivated for the new semester. With the reintroduction of remote learning days since COVID-19, they find it difficult to connect with teachers they have never met and to complete assignments using entirely new information, as teachers rush to post work for students to complete on time. Sophomore Layla Zon says remote learning days have been harder for her than regular school days…