FORT SMITH (KFSM)- Fort Smith Catholic schools are turning snow days into cyber days so they can cut down the number of days students have to stay in school during summer break to make up snow days.
Ann Cannon, principal at Christ The King Catholic School, is one of the school leaders who helped develop cyber days.
"They're still doing the same amount of minutes that they will do in school, but they get to do it at home," she said. "So they don't have to make up those days at a different time."
Cannon said when weather closes school, students will log in online to complete their assignments, which will count as a full day of school. The schools can use up to five cyber days a year and the cyber day assignments will count for grades just like regular class days.
"It can be anywhere from two to three to four hours," Cannon said.
And if the power is out, students have packets filled with everything from math to spelling.
Joe Caldarera has two sons who attend Immaculate Conception Elementary School.
"There are definitely benefits, but some of the cons are, especially from the children's eyes, they probably, on a snow day, would rather be out in the snow than doing homework," Caldarera said. "Or if you are working there may be babysitters who are at home with the children. Are they really going to make sure that their doing their school work properly?"
Cannon said schools throughout the state are adapting the new technology as are Trinity Junior High School and St. Boniface Elementary School in Fort Smith.