Area school districts in Door and Kewaunee Counties hope to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature this winter to keep their academic calendars on schedule. Last year, snow and extreme cold claimed well over a week of class time, including a four-day stretch in late January. To limit the amount of instruction time that needs to be made up as a result, school districts are experimenting with different e-learning options. Gibraltar Area Schools recently tested out its e-learning platform with its students in November ahead of an in-home practice run this month. Kewaunee Principal Michael Bennett says its district has the ability to send assignments out to its students if they know school may be canceled for a certain amount of days.

Bennett says students having their own devices to complete the work make the concept of e-learning days easier handle, but acknowledges Internet connections may still be an issue.